


Salt of the Earth

by Aikaro



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: F/M, M/M, Master of the Mountain, Political Intrigue, Public Execution, Revolution, The King and the Princess are both playing 4D Chess and Cole is just stuck in the middle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:40:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 33,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25389193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aikaro/pseuds/Aikaro
Summary: She is the Stars.He is the Night Sky.They dance together in the Moonlight but disappear at Sunrise.---------9/22: Updated rating and tags for coming chapters.---------The princess who arranges shady rendezvous in the night.The king with ulterior motives.The man who is reminded of his mother at every turn, in a land he's never seen before.They all come from the salt of the earth.
Relationships: Cole/Vania, Cole/Vanja, Past CoNya, Past Lava
Comments: 12
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Spotify Playlist: NJ//Salt of the Earth
> 
> Princess Vanja is due to debut for court and select a suitor in a ball held on her 19th birthday.
> 
> A few things:  
> \- I did watch S13 but I decided to kind of take my own liberties with how things in the city look.  
> \- The minarets described here are tall thin spires, similar to Turkish minarets.  
> \- Shintaro as described by me is influenced by some aspects of Muslim culture and the myth of Shangri-La, as well as what was seen in the show.  
> \- The "Call to Reflection" is based on the "Call to Prayer", if you've never heard one they are extremely beautiful, you can find soundclips/video online.  
> \- The events of Season 13 largely do not happen, save for a few moments.  
> \- The team are basically all 19 years old (not dealing with Zane’s whole thing, and forget Lloyd).
> 
> This is my first time posting to AO3, so any feedback about the formatting/tagging system would be greatly appreciated.

_By decree of His Royal Highness, King Vangelis of the Kingdom of Shintaro, you are cordially invited to attend the debut of Her Royal Highness, Princess Vanja, Heir Apparent to the Throne._

The air on the deck of The Bounty was becoming thinner as it rose into the mountains, and Lloyd felt sick to his stomach. But it had less to do with the altitude and more to do with the letter he held. The master-crafted paper it was written on was now crumbled and crinkled in every conceivable direction. It never left Lloyd's possession from the time they received it.

He was sure he'd heard this all before. It had all played out, almost to a tee, just a year ago with Princess Harumi.

No, the Quiet One.

No...

She was just _Harumi_. Just a frightened little girl, grown up but not moved on.

He dwelled too often on what could have been, what should have... But it was a fruitless effort.

The wind ruffled the invitation in his hands as the ship picked up speed. Behind him, Nya exited the cabin and walked over to the railing. "We're coming in to port soon," she told Lloyd.

"Ok," Lloyd wadded up the letter, "Let's prepare the docking procedure." He walked back into the cabin with her. As long as they kept their guard up, he wagered, nothing could go wrong.

* * *

They arrived in Shintaro, a magnificent city of ivory and gold. The minarets pierced through the clouds and seemed to reach for the heavens. Each tower shined with polish. Large marble statues lined the streets. Between each and every building lay small gardens, small but well-kept and colorful. The smell of hyacinths wafted through the air. No litter nor grime was to be found in even the furthest corners.

Winged soldiers escorted the group to the palace, glistening in the sun like seraphs. They reminded Zane too much of Icarus, instead.

As they walked through the streets, singing could be heard from the top of each minaret. They echoed each other in a hauntingly beautiful disharmony. Passersby gathered in the numerous gardens and fell to their knees, praying.

"It is the Call to Reflection," a soldier flew down and explained to Cole, who had become entranced and stopped walking. "Every day we remind ourselves to stop what we are doing and Reflect on our blessings."

Cole watched as those in the gardens faced walls of jasmine and heeded the call. They kneeled in neat rows, some bowing their heads, some looking to the sky. Then the singing fell off in echoes, and the people stood up to return to their daily tasks.

"You do this every day?" He asked the soldier, who nodded in return.

"Once a day, the Call is sung," they began to catch up with the group, "but some people choose to reflect at different times, in different ways. A Reflection is personal; It is not our place to command others on this matter."

The soldier took off into the sky again and rejoined the escort. Cole thought about the tapes his mother used to play, how the Call to Reflection sounded so familiar, and how fuzzy his memories of her are getting.

* * *

They arrived at the palace, just as magnificent as the city itself. The doors to the throne room opened wide, bursting light into the dark hall. Tall, thin windows lined along the cylindrical wall, which converged into a dome ceiling impossibly high up. The ceiling was made of stained glass, colors dancing on the floor.

In the center of the room stood a tall white throne, illuminated by the sunlight. There sat a mighty king, poised and powerful. At the foot of the throne stood the princess, hands folded but with a wide smile bursting forth. Nya thought she looked like she could hardly contain her excitement.

The team lined up in a row, and the guard closed the doors behind them. Then the king spoke.

"Welcome, Sensei Wu's students, to the Kingdom of Shintaro!"

He grinned, and the team visibly relaxed a bit.

"We are King Vangelis, who have summoned you here for the privilege of attending Our daughter's debut," he gestured to the princess, "as Our special guests."

Jay nudged Nya without breaking his form. "What's a debut?" He whispered, not so quietly, out of the corner of his mouth.

Cole hissed at Jay on his other side, "I'll explain it to you later."

The king continued, "Our daughter, Princess Vanja, becomes 19 years of age this week, and has been very diligent in her courtship lessons. Therefore, We believe she is ready to debut and choose a suitor."

The princess began rocking back and forth on her heels as though the well of excitement was about to burst forth. The king saw this and cleared his throat, "We have invited you here, at the behest of Our daughter, who is - "

"A **HUGE** fan!!" She exclaimed, cutting off her father's sentence. Her energy was rising every second. It was clear that with all the formality of monarchy, the king allowed his daughter a level of freedom. But speaking out of turn was against the lessons he wished to celebrate, and he reminded her of this.

"Vanja," he started, "Remember why We are holding this ball. You are to demonstrate _control_ over your _impulses_."

She didn't listen and ran up to Cole, grabbing his hand excitedly, "I've wanted to meet you all for so long!"

Lloyd looked down the line with suspicion. It was all too familiar...

The king stepped down from his throne. "Yes, well, let Us continue talking later. We suppose you are tired from your trip. Captain Hailmar will show you to your rooms," he gestured to the Captain of the Guard. "The ball will be held exactly one week from today."

The princess was still holding Cole's hand, making it difficult for him to concentrate on the king's words. He smiled at her and gave her hand a small squeeze.

"Our staff will provide you with everything you may desire, and Our tailors will fit you for the ball. Please," The king gestured to the doors with a smile, "Enjoy your stay in Our fair city."

* * *

Cole and the princess trailed behind the rest. She hung onto his arm and excitedly recounted the adventures she'd read so much about. Lloyd was further behind them, eyeing her every move.

" - And when you defeated the Great Devourer," she recounted, "that was _amazing_!"

Cole chuckled and had a bit of a haughty look on his face, "Well, we are a pretty amazing team."

The princess' eyes lit up even more and she squeezed his arm, "With you as the leader, how could it be otherwise!"

Before Cole could say anything, Lloyd interjected from behind, " **Former.** Leader."

Cole looked back at him. Lloyd mouthed _'watch her'_ and Cole just shrugged.

They reached Cole's room first. He began to enter, but the princess tugged on his arm.

"The day is so young still," she implored, "Won't you join me for a walk in the garden later?"

Cole gently removed her from his arm and smiled. "You're quite forward, Princess."

"Please," she stepped closer, "You may call me Vanja."

The others stood around awkwardly. Kai coughed intentionally and Cole read the room.

"Well, I'll see you later, _Vanja_."

Her name was as sweet as honey on his lips, and she was starstruck. The tension only broke when Lloyd stepped between them and pushed Cole inside, "Yeah, well, get unpacked, and  rest ."

Vanja looked visibly disappointed. Lloyd closed the door and Cole was left alone.

Cole really didn't like the way Lloyd said 'rest'.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spotify: NJ//Salt of the Earth

Later that evening, Vanja slowly opened the door to Cole's room. She peeked in and saw him on the floor, doing curls. Sweatdrops ran down his back, his ebony skin glistening from the sheen.

Cole's eyes were closed as he strained through his last reps. On the last rise, he opened his eyes.

"What the - ?!" he jumped. Vanja was on her hands and knees in front of him, her face inches from his. He leaned back on his elbows to calm his heart back down, but she didn't get the message and leaned forward even more.

She grinned mischievously, "You didn't forget our date? The garden?"

He swallowed and slipped out from under her to get some space, "Date?"

She stood up and took his hand to help him up. He was worried she couldn't carry his weight, but she didn't even flinch as he got to his feet. Heat radiated off of his bare chest from exertion. His hair was wet and clinging to his face.

She caught herself staring and rushed over to the dresser by the door, "There is a robe in here that would be most appropriate for a walk in the garden." She pulled out a folded black garment and set it atop the dresser. "My father provides all guest rooms with the necessities for your stay."

He walked over to the dresser and reached past her for the robe, "That's really thoughtful."

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. His bare chest just barely brushed her shoulder, and she stiffened as she felt how firm his muscles were.

"I-I could, show you the proper w-way to wear it," she could hardly gasp the words out, "If you like..." She turned to face him, and he towered over her, hand on the dresser.

He blinked. "That's ok," he looked down at her figure, "I think I can figure it out based on how you wear it."

She flushed bright red, yelling, "OkwelluhI'llmeetyouinthegardenbehindthepalaceafteryou'veshoweredbye!" and ran out of the room, leaving Cole perplexed.

Was it something he said?

* * *

The robe he was given was black satin, sweeping the floor, reaching the ends of his wrists. He couldn't remember ever wearing something so loose, yet restricting. He tied it all together and gave his hair a quick comb through.

On the vanity by the bed, there was a bottle of cologne provided. He studied the bottle, untwisted the cap, and delicately smelled the contents. _Eugh_ , he thought, _too strong_. After one last glance in the mirror to make sure everything looked ok, he left his room to search for the garden.

On his way out of the palace he ran into Kai, who was returning from the kitchen and tossing an apple.

"Heyyy," Kai began to tease, "Lookin' fresh there, my man!" He reached out to touch the sleeves of Cole's robe.

Cole rolled his eyes, "I'm just visiting the garden."

Kai grinned wide and patted Cole's arm in a congratulatory manner, "With a _lady_ friend..."

Cole playfully swatted his arm off, "Beat it, asshole!"

Kai practically strutted down the hall while he ate his apple.

* * *

The palace garden was the largest in the city, well-kept and pleasing to all senses. Cole found Vanja sitting cross-legged in the grass underneath a statue, facing a wall of jasmine.

He walked up to her and found her eyes closed. He thought for a moment about getting revenge on her, for sneaking up on him. But he saw how peaceful she looked and took his place beside her instead.

He watched her intently. The setting sun made her auburn hair sparkle. Her long lashes fluttered as she murmured, on her lips a prayer he did not recognize.

When she finished, she opened her eyes to find him lying in the grass by her left side, propped up on an elbow.

"I'm so glad you could make it!" she said, a little louder than she meant to, and she cupped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

Cole laughed and removed her hand, "Of course! How could I refuse a princess?"

She clasped both hands over his and smiled, "Then come," she got up, "There is so much to see!"

Around them, citizens of all status walked through the garden. She led him through the trees and bushes and vines, expertly naming the plants and their meanings. The statues were of significant people in the Shintaro kingdom, builders of the towers and settlers of the mountain. The fountains poured into teal ponds of koi. They spent the evening speaking of family, friends, and the responsibilities they both held.

When darkness began to fall, they came upon a secluded gazebo covered with bougainvillea vines. Vanja hopped in and laid down on the bench inside.

"I wish I could join you on one of your adventures," she lamented. "But my place is here, looking after a preposterously prosperous city."

Cole sat down by her head and she looked up at him.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining of the peace!" She sat up and moved closer to him. "We just have so _much_ , and others have so _little_... I want to help people out of poverty, shelter them, make a difference where it matters!"

Cole gave her a concerned look and reached for her hand. "Does your father disapprove?"

She sighed, "Not _exactly_ . I have free reign to go where I please, inside the kingdom. It is _below_ that I am forbidden to go."

They were silent for a bit, watching the wind shake the vines, the last bits of sunlight peeking through.

"Maybe one day," he pondered aloud, "When you're Queen, you can make a trip to visit us in Ninjago City." He smiled at her.

She gasped, "Really?!" and toppled him over onto the bench.

He panicked. She was on top of him. She was to debut in a week. _If anyone saw us like this -_

Then Vanja buried her face in his chest and began to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” He asked.

But she continued to laugh, and he couldn’t help but laugh along with her, laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. The kingdom became dark and the stars came out and sparkled across the black sky.

* * *

He dropped her off at her door for the night. "Goodnight, Princess Vanja," he smiled, and kissed her hand in princely fashion. She giggled as she closed the door, "Goodnight, Cole."

He returned to his room shortly thereafter and climbed into bed. Everything from the day was replaying in his head. The song that sounded like his mother's tapes, the Call to Reflection...

_Vanja._

He found himself getting lost in those starry eyes, hungry for more out of life. Those beautiful, violet eyes, full of wonder and drive...

He tried to go to sleep, but it wasn't easy. Her bright eyes were to blame.

* * *

"你好, Cole."

"Huh?!" Cole jumped awake and out of bed at his name.

"We need to talk."

"Lloyd?!" He squinted in the darkness, "What the hell, you scared the shit out of me!"

Lloyd walked over to the vanity and examined the cologne. "You can't trust the Princess, Cole."

"You mean _Vanja_?"

Lloyd slammed the bottle down, "You're getting too familiar with her! How can you be sure she isn't seducing you?!"

Cole balked, " _Seducing?!_ " He slammed his hand down on the vanity in front of Lloyd. "What, like she's tryin' to trick me?"

"It's happened to us before," Lloyd answered coldly.

"No, Lloyd," Cole jabbed a finger into Lloyd's chest, "It's happened to _you_ before."

Lloyd puffed up his chest in retaliation, "Think about it, Cole! Why would she immediately take a liking to you?"

Cole stared Lloyd down. " **What** is **that** supposed to mean?" Lloyd gulped.

"It's just that it doesn't make sense."

"Maybe she likes me because I'm in tune with my emotions," Cole jabbed the pointed finger at himself for emphasis.

Lloyd shoved Cole lightly, "I think your _‘emotions’_ are clouding your judgment!"

The last word echoed in the empty chamber. They stood there with the weight of their words hanging between them. Lloyd knew that Cole would not be budged, and left, fed up. The last thing he heard was Cole shouting after him.

"You sure **yours** aren't?!"


	3. The Second Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spotify: NJ//Salt of the Earth

The next day Cole and Lloyd avoided each other completely. The others were too afraid to ask about it, but it wasn't hard to figure out. Wu became concerned that two of his best pupils were forming a rift. The cold shoulder was beginning to freeze everyone around them.

Vanja wanted to show Cole around the city's marketplace that morning, so he put on a fresh satin robe from the dresser and met her in front of the palace gates.

"Ready?" He grinned at her, holding out his arm.

She linked her arm in his, "Ready!"

They walked down the main thoroughfare, which began at the palace steps and ended on the other side of the city. It was Shintaro's main street, lined with statues and hiding small courtyard gardens in every alley.

There were no vehicles, only foot traffic and winged guards. Without stress or worry, citizens walked at a leisurely place to and fro. Vanja had to control their pace for Cole; He kept falling back into his Ninjago City habits.

“There’s no rush,” she giggled, “We have all day to explore.”

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “You’re right,” he said. “Guess I’ve still gotta work on my Shintaro Walk.”

“Does everyone in Ninjago City walk so quickly?” She asked.

He thought of the daily grind, the dog-eat-dog world of the city, where every person fends for themselves. Rushing to work, rushing to finish, rushing to get rent paid, food on the table, clothes on their backs. The dirt and the crime and the sadness and the broken dreams and the broken hearts.

And he saw Shintaro. Magnificent towers, hidden from war and conflict. The city had plentiful food, shelter, community, not to mention clean air and the finest imports. No one here knew what it was like to go hungry, to have to steal to live. 

She watched him lost in thought, “Tell me more about Ninjago City.”

He looked at her hopeful eyes and wasn’t sure he wanted to.

* * *

They came upon a line of stalls along the road, and among them, the princess said, was her favorite cafe. They sat at a small table in the street where they could feel the breeze, which carried a scent of blue hyacinths.

The blue hyacinths like his mother grew.

Vanja leaned on the table, her sleeves cascading down over the edge. She crossed her legs and sipped the coffee from the small ceramic cup.

Cole leaned back in his chair, waiting for the grounds to settle in the bottom of his cup. They enjoyed each other’s company for a while. When the waitress came back with a second pot of coffee, Vanja broke the silence.

“I’ve seen the photographs,” she poured herself another cup, “From newspapers and magazines.”

He took the pot from her to pour himself one as well.

She continued, “I’ve read the stories, the reports on poverty and crime. I ask my father about it but he refuses to explain anything to me.”

She gave him a determined look as he took a sip. “I need to know about the real world. I must be a part of it.”

“You don’t want to stay up here, locked in an ivory city.” He mused. She held out her hand and he took it in his. “I’d like to help you reach that goal, princess, but -”

“-  _ Just _ Vanja,” she reminded him. He smiled.

“I’d like to help you, Vanja,” he continued, “But you’re due to debut. You’ll choose a suitor, prepare to become queen.”

She recoiled. “And that should stop me from achieving my goals?”

“No, no!” He realized what he insinuated and apologized. It was clear to him that she was not naive.

They talked for hours about what it meant to be a hero, what it meant to “save” the world, how besides demons and monsters there were everyday evils that needed remedy. She spoke of using what she learned in her diplomacy lessons, and he spoke of contacts in the city she could write to.

He finished off the last of the coffee and offered his final thoughts.

“Why don’t I give you a tour of The Bounty?” He offered, and her eyes lit up as bright as stars, “You can get an idea how the people at the bottom of the mountain live.”

“Really?!” She was so excited she almost knocked the table over, and Cole had to rush to stabilize the cups.

Just then, the Call to Reflection began from the minaret closest to them, and soon the other towers followed suit. The singing echoed down the street just as they did the day before. The cafe owner, shop clerks, residents, filed into the gardens. Before Cole could think about his mother’s tapes again, Vanja grabbed his arm and excitedly took him to the courtyard closest to them. 

As the Call continued, she sat down in the grass and invited him to sit next to her. Others kneeled, some stood, but they all faced a tall stone wall covered in jasmine vines.

Cole shuffled nervously and leaned to whisper to Vanja, “I don’t know the prayers,” he admitted.

“To Reflect does not require a certain prayer,” she answered. “Just meditate on what blessings you have, and on what you can do for others.”

“That’s it? We meditate all the time at the monastery.”

  
“Think of things you wish for, and the Reflection will help you find the strength to get it.” She suggested.

He looked around as the citizens of Shintaro had closed their eyes in deep meditation. The Call continued strong through the city.

He took a deep sigh and closed his eyes.

Thoughts of Lloyd entered his mind, his struggle to accept Harumi’s betrayal and their fight in his room last night. He was inspired to think of ways he could have handled it better, taking apart things Lloyd said for clues on how to mend their friendship. He thought of how Wu had taken him in, taught him so much. He thought of the struggles and triumphs of the past few years, silently thanking the stars for what he was able to accomplish.

But the song of the Call in his ears forced images of his mother to interrupt these thoughts. Memories of staying at her bedside, of her smile, overshadowed any other. He made a face as he attempted to shoo them away. It wouldn’t do any good to dwell on the past, he thought, but they wouldn’t quit. It made him restless, and when the Reflection was over and the Call was done, he felt like the only one who didn’t feel better.

Vanja turned to him as the others left, looking refreshed as ever, “Were you able to Reflect?”

Cole lied to her, unsure himself what the truth was.

“Yeah.”

* * *

In the afternoon, Zane took a trip down to the library in the middle of the city. He couldn’t understand why everyone else rejected his offer to join him; Jay made some excuse of running errands for Captain Hailmar, Nya chose to sleep all day, Kai snuck off somewhere, and Lloyd shut himself in his room with a slam that echoed through the palace.

The air in the street was warm and the shadows grew long in the afternoon sun. The soft wind carried only jasmine petals into the rain gutters. People walked around in long flowing robes, speaking in sweet manners, not a disagreement to be heard. The winged guards seemed more decoration than patrol.

A paradise too good to be true, and that’s what worried him.

The library was kept inside an old monastery, where Captain Hailmar told Zane he could find an even older monk to speak with. He wasn’t looking for anything in particular; just any information to sate his curiosity on the kingdom’s economic and social functions. Maybe he could find something useful to bring back to Ninjago City.

A large statue of an angel holding a scroll in one hand and a pen in the other stood in the front courtyard. It was as tall as a dragon and just as imposing. The face was featureless, haunting. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of it as he passed through the gates.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Came a soft voice from the doors. A monk dressed in gold robes came down the steps to meet him at the base of the statue.

“Mm,” Zane conceded. The statue was giving him a strange aura, familiar but ominous. He couldn’t shake that feeling; it rattled his core.

The monk smiled at Zane and gestured to the doors, “Please, let me offer you some coffee.”

Zane followed him in. His icy blue robe swept up jasmine petals as it dragged up the stairs behind him.

* * *

When Cole returned to his room for the second night, he closed the door and leaned against it. He let out a deep sigh.

On the vanity was a stationary set. He sat down and started writing, first to get his thoughts unscrambled.

~~_ Touch. _ ~~

~~_ Love. _ ~~

~~_ Warmth. _ ~~

~~_ Duty. _ ~~

~~_ Familiar. _ ~~

~~_ Fear. _ ~~

Every word he wrote he crossed out. Every stroke became more hurried. The paper ripped from the force of the pen and he held his head in his hands.

A new piece of paper and a fresh perspective. This time he tried to write a letter to his father, unsure if he'd actually send it or simply vent.

_Hey Dad,_ it began on every new header, _I thought of Mom today -_

No good. Try again.

_ I heard a song that - _

Not right either.

_ I met a princess - _

There's this beautiful girl who -

_ I'm so confused - _

A pile of wadded paper accumulated on the floor with every reset. He felt exasperated, and lay his head to rest on the vanity.

The night was thick with a heavy silence. The only sound was the ticking of a clock on the nightstand. It acted as a hypnosis, and soon he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Zane did not return to the palace that night. He had spent countless hours poring over the records kept in the monastery, absorbing any and all knowledge and history of the city and its mountain. There were scrolls kept here as old as the realm itself. Depictions of the Serpentine Wars, the settling and building of Ninjago City, tomes that he imagined would be of great service if they could be copied and shared down below. He scanned every page he could in hopes he could send the information to PIXAL, who could analyze it more thoroughly.

The old monk stirred in his chair, an old stone slab in the courtyard under the stars. Despite the open nature of the monastery’s walls, thousands of years worth of paper and papyrus remained completely unweathered. Zane looked up at the perfectly clear sky. In fact, since their arrival, he saw no sign of any weather patterns. He could chalk that up to a lucky couple of days, but even their kingdom’s history made no mention of rain, or unbearable heat, or freezing snow despite the altitude. No fires had ever ravaged. Lightning had never struck.

In fact, the  _ only _ natural phenomenon he could find was mention of an earthquake, close to the time the kingdom was founded. An earthquake that shook so violently, the early builders took it as a bad omen, as if the mountain itself was forbidding them from settling there. It was said that the king instructed them to continue, so they built again on top of the rubble. The remnants of the first attempt became the dungeons and sewers, and the city miraculously never had issues again.

_ How can a city _ , Zane thought to himself while counting stars,  _ at this altitude, at this proximity to the sea, on a mountain in a range of volcanoes, never experience anything but blissful sun and sky, for centuries? How can an entire kingdom avoid the elements of nature? _

He closed the last tome and blew out the candle on his table. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Besides the earthquake, you'll notice that Shintaro also encounters wind/breezes....


	4. Feelings, Future

Kai came into Cole’s room in the morning to wake him up. He snuck up behind the chair and peeked over at the mess made last night.

“Mmmfuck off…” Cole mumbled, still asleep on the vanity as Kai shook his shoulders. A small pile of drool had pooled onto the stationary underneath him. 

Kai didn’t care much for courtesy, and slapped Cole lightly with his fingers, “C’mon lazy, up an’ at ‘em! Let’s go!”

Cole grumbled and sat up slowly, wiping the saliva off his face, “Gross,” he muttered. He blinked at the remnants of last night’s mania. He’d clean it up after a shower, he supposed.

Kai was already walking to the door, his crimson robe standing out against the white of the marble. Cole turned in his chair to him, puzzled. Kai struck a pose with a hand on his hip in the doorway and beckoned his friend to follow.

Cole rolled his eyes, “Can I at least take a shower first?”

Kai groaned, “Don’t you wanna know where we’re _going_ ? _First_ ?” He was dripping with sarcasm, and Cole gave up to join him at the door, “Just **trust me** , bro!”

He wasn’t sure that he could ever trust Kai when he said that.

* * *

King Vangelis sat to breakfast with his daughter in the main dining hall. To practice before taking the crown, Vanja had been compiling weekly reports on the economic and social matters pertaining to the kingdom for her father to look over. She handed him her latest report, printed neatly on a typewriter the night before.

He took it in his hand and put down his tea.

She sat at the other end of the very long table, watching his reactions as he scanned the numbers. His eyes widened at one point; she knew he had reached the statistics on imports. Shintaro has few exports, and they are dwindling. It was a known issue in the kingdom that other nations slowed their trade with them due to this. But the latest numbers were troubling, to say the least.

The king pinched the bridge of his nose. “It looks like We will have to make do without some… luxuries, for a while.”

Vanja stood up, taking her chance. “Father,” she started, “If I may say, our exports are so low in number as we have almost no natural resources. Any sculptures we make are of imported stone. But we are sitting atop a mountain, full of resources we can use for ourselves, why can we not - “

“Not this again, Vanja!” The king raised his voice, which his daughter did not expect. “You know why we are forbidden from going down into the mountain.”

She protested, “I know the story you have told me of a witch! But I have never seen evidence that she is there.”

“Well We _have_!” The king slammed his hand down on the table with a shout that silenced the room. They faced each other across the long table, feeling the space between them as emotional as it was physical. This was not the first time they argued on this point.

The king took a deep breath to calm down. Then he stood up and faced the window.

“We wonder if you are prepared to debut,” he mused aloud, “If you still insist on such foolish things.”

She did not continue to argue. “I am ready, Father. I will not suggest that again.”

The king walked over and held her chin in his hand. “We are glad to hear that, daughter. We only do what is best for you.” He smiled and walked to the door. “Do not forget your rehearsal this afternoon.”

She sighed and poked at her breakfast, “Of course, Father.”

* * *

Kai led Cole to a large round building just outside the palace gates. Steam rose from small openings on the domed roof. The smell of salt was heavy in the air.

They opened the tall wooden doors into a large foyer, completely tiled and every sound echoing. The only furniture in the room was a cubby shelf, filled with shoes, clothes, towels, and bottles filled with what Cole guessed were different salts. The steam crept in through a short stone tunnel in the back of the room.

“You took me... to a bathhouse?”

Kai was already grabbing everything they needed from the shelves and threw a towel at Cole. “Shintaro is famous for its salt springs! We can’t come all the way here and not try them.” He threw his own towel over his shoulder and headed into the single arched tunnel. “Besides,” he turned around to shout, his voice echoing, “You need to relax.”

Cole took a deep breath and followed his friend in silent agreement.

The bath itself took up half of the incredibly lavish room, with elaborate faucets shaped like dragons heads all along the wall, and stone stools in front of them for washing. The room was largely empty, save for a few patrons washing up at the walls, and Nya, already in the water, looking as relaxed as possible with cucumber slices on her eyes and her head leaning back on the tile.

“You’re late,” she commented, not moving an inch.

Kai walked over to a wash station and began to disrobe, “Had a hard time waking up Sleeping Beauty over here,” he nodded towards Cole.

Cole joined him at the adjacent station and sat on the stool. They hung their robes on metal hooks next to the faucets, and left the towels on a shelf above. They used the faucets to rinse themselves off with freshwater before entering the salt pool.

“Don’t look, Nya,” joked Cole, as he stepped lightly into the shallow pool.

She scoffed, “Nothing I haven’t seen before,” she was nonchalant and unmoving as he got in and joined her.

Kai took the less zen approach, and hopped in with a splash, sending waves over Nya’s face and knocking off her cucumber slices.

“Dude, what the hell?!” She groaned in frustration while Kai laughed.

Soon the other patrons left, leaving just the three of them together in the salt pool.

Nya sighed at the ceiling, “This city is amazing isn’t it?” She ran her hand in the water, “Nothing bad ever happens here.”

“Yeah,” Cole mused. He leaned back next to her, and it felt like days past, a time long gone.

She sank a little into the water, “So why do I feel constantly on edge…”

Kai splashed them both from across the pool, causing them both to snap out of it. “You’re both too stiff! We’re in a calm city, invited to a party,” He floated over to sit on Cole’s other side. “Just relax!”

  
  
Cole and Nya practically rolled their eyes in unison.

“Sure Kai,” Cole said, “I totally feel relaxed now that you’ve told me to.”

The three of them sat back, listening to the crackle of the salt in the water, feeling the warmth on their skin. Nya made them turn around so she could splash some of the water into their hair, and Cole did the same for her.

Kai spoke as Cole washed Nya’s hair, “You know, this looks familiar,” he grinned devilishly.

  
“Just ignore him,” Nya instructed Cole, “He’s always trying to bring up old stuff ‘cause he’s got nothing better to do.”

Cole slowly spread the salt water in Nya’s hair; It had been ages since he ran his fingers through it, before she grew it out so long. He paused for a second.

Nya turned to face him. “Kai’s right; something’s been eating at you.”

He watched the salt dissolve in the water.

“Talk to us,” she pleaded.

“...Sorry,” was all he managed, before he sat back on the underwater bench. He was dissociating without meaning to. His hands were folded in his lap and he was deep in thought.

Kai became serious. He sat in front of Cole, getting his attention away from the water. “It’s about the princess, isn’t it?”

“You won’t leave that alone, will you, Kai?”

“I’m serious!” Kai protested, causing ripples in the water. “Don’t act like you haven’t been spending a lot of time with her since we got here.”

Cole felt defensive, somehow, “Do you have a problem with that?”

Before Kai could answer, Nya put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“We’re glad you’ve found someone you can connect with,” she clarified, “We’re just worried because you also seem distant, and… more stressed than usual. Stiff.”

He didn’t really want to answer why, because he didn’t really want to face the reasons. At that moment, he wanted more than anything to be back in Ninjago City, to not have to think too hard about his choices and feelings. Work helped keep his mind off of everything else; without work, he was now forced to face his fears.

He sighed and dunked his head underwater. _Clear your thoughts, clear your emotions, reset._

He surfaced just as quickly and shook out his shaggy hair, splashing the other two, who couldn’t help but giggle.

“Alright I’ll talk,” he smiled, forcing his mood to flip, “As long as you heat up this water, Kai.”

His friend burst with ego, “Easy!” He held up his arm and snapped his fingers confidently.

....Nothing happened.

Kai looked at his fingers, soaked to the bone, “Maybe I’ll go find the central heating system. Be right back!” He climbed clumsily out of the pool and ran to the tunnel.

Nya watched her brother run out and swam up to sit next to Cole.

“I hope this doesn’t sound too sappy,” he warned, not taking his eyes off the water, “But, watching the minerals and the water dissolve together…”

She gently pulled some of his hair out of his face, “I understand. I think about it sometimes too.” She leaned back and put her hands behind her head, “That was a long time ago.”

He lifted his head to look at her, “You know you’re my best friend.” She smiled back at him and nodded. He leaned back just as she did, and they stared up at the ceiling together.

“I want to… get to know Vanja, better.” He started. “I want to see where it goes. I think she wants that too…” He took a deep breath, “But I feel such guilt.”

Nya didn’t say a word. She watched his eyes move back and forth as he looked for the right words to say.

He continued, somewhat shakily. “When I was in school, I started lessons for my own debut. I know all about the purpose, and what happens. I don’t agree with the methods, choosing someone’s spouse for them.” He flipped around to lay his head in his arms on the tile.

“But I also learned in school that Shintaro depends entirely on these arranged marriages to stabilize their economic trades with other kingdoms. If I mess up this place, her happy place, because of selfish wants...” he trailed off.

Kai stormed back in, confused and loud, “I tried to use my fire and it didn’t work!”

The other two looked concerned as he grabbed his towel off the shelf.

“Maybe you’re too water-logged?” Nya proposed.

He tried to dry himself as thoroughly as possible. When he thought he was dry enough, he snapped his fingers again. No response. He tried some more, his actions becoming more and more frantic, until Cole hopped out of the saltwater pool and grabbed the towel from his hands and wrapped him in a bear hug with it.

“Gerroffome,” Kai protested, his face firmly planted into Cole’s shoulder. Once his breathing slowed and his shoulders drooped, Cole slowly let go. He could see Kai’s face burning up from a mixture of embarrassment and rage.

“Are you gonna calm down now?”

Kai huffed and slumped down on a stool. “I’m getting real sick of losing my powers all the time.”

Cole and Nya exchanged a look, and Nya concentrated hard on the water in the pool. But it wouldn’t budge.

“Nothing here.” She sighed.

Cole walked towards the pool and tried to separate the minerals in the water. Nothing there, either. He walked into the far corner, took a deep breath, activated his scars and punched the ground, figuring he could fix any damage later. Still nothing. He tried the tunnel, which was more raw earth than tile, to no avail.

“Maybe,” Nya climbed out and put on her gray-blue robe, “Maybe it’s something that was in the water?”

“It’s possible…” Cole stretched his arm out, not expecting such a solid impact.

They silently gathered their things and left.

“Tell you one thing,” Kai remarked with a bite in his tone, “I’m definitely less relaxed than when I came in.”

* * *

When they returned to the palace, Wu met them in the entrance hall. He was pacing rather furiously with his hands behind his back.

“Where have you three been?!” He demanded, more stern than was typical of him.

“Chill, Sensei,” Kai dismissed his tone with a wave of a hand, “We were just visiting the salt baths.”

  
  
Wu furrowed his brow, “Have you forgotten we are guests of the king? That we were invited to watch the princess’ rehearsal this afternoon?”

“Oh, shit…” Nya muttered, realizing.

“‘ _Oh shit_ ’ is right,” said the old man, turning to lead them down the hall. They followed him sheepishly. “Really, what am I going to do with you…”

Inside the ballroom, Jay, Zane, and Lloyd, were already sitting on floor cushions against the wall. A lavish feast of food and drink was spread in front them. In the middle of it all sat a large vase-like item with multiple hoses coming out of it. Underneath it all were an assortment of rugs.

They sat down on the remaining three cushions, Nya next to Jay, Kai next to her, and Cole on the end, furthest from Lloyd, who was busy leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Wu was given a chair next to Cole, and to his right was the king’s throne.

“Where have you guys been?” Jay happily stuffed himself with sweets as palace servants brought more. “You’ve been missing out!”

Cole leaned forward to talk past Kai and Nya, “A little decorum wouldn’t kill you, Jay.”

Jay also leaned forward to respond, “You don’t get to talk, Mr. I-Hang-Out-With-The-Princess-All-Day.”

“Watch your mouth you little - “

“Enough!” Shouted Nya.

Kai chimed in, taking one of the hose ends, “I don’t care if you guys argue, but can you please not do it while we’re stuck in the middle?”

Zane watched Kai take the hose in his mouth and take a drag, “I’ve meant to ask, what is this device?”

  
  
Kai exhaled a large plume of smoke, “Shisha,” he answered coolly.

“Shisha is a favorite past-time of Shintaro for many years,” explained King Vangelis, who walked in with Princess Vanja and an entourage of court soldiers.

The team began to stand, but the king put his hand up, “Please,” he stopped them, “There is no need for that. We are happy to see you are enjoying yourselves,” He looked at Jay, who paused midway through a dragon fruit. “And We see that you found the robes We picked out for you!”

He sat in his chair and gave a signal to his guards, having them fall in line against the wall and guarding doors. “We hope you like them. They are genuine Shintaro satin, and We chose colors to suit your uniforms. You may keep them, as souvenirs, if you like,” he offered, giving off a warm smile.

Wu spoke for his students, “We are deeply grateful for your hospitality, Your Highness.”

The king sat back in his throne, pleased. “Think nothing of it.”

In the corner, a court servant helped Vanja finish putting on her headpiece. When she was ready, the room became quiet, and she sauntered to the middle of it. She was stoic and poised, but snuck a wink at Cole. Her father saw this and cleared his throat.

She wore a loose-fitting white shirt with puffy sleeves, a small black vest, and long, red, sheer pants that ballooned at the ankles. Her headdress was a small red fez, with a white veil that reached her knees. Adorned along the headdress, vest, and pants were small gold coins, sewn into the hems and jingling with every movement.

She got into her starting position, legs crossed at the ankles and hands splayed out on either side. Cole was mesmerized; This couldn’t have been the same meek but playful woman he walked down the street with the day before. This woman was serious, standing tall and proud. He found himself drawn to the strength she exuded.

The instructor approached her with two props. He placed a fan in her left hand, and a large saber in her right. She did not falter, though the saber was heavy.

“What happens now?” Jay whispered.

Zane answered, “I read about this in their records. Monarchs of this family must perform a sword dance at their debut, to show they are ready to defend the kingdom from attack.” He took one of the shisha pipes in his hands and studied it, “Though a _dance_ can hardly be a replacement for rigorous training,” he scoffed.

Vanja took a deep breath, concentrating on her cue. Then the music began, slow strings playing at a pace that matched her movements. She stepped as lightly as a feather, spinning and throwing the saber, then catching it deftly. As the music picked up, so did her steps, twirling fan and sword in a dance that sent chills down Cole’s spine.

He watched her movements intensely, studying the steps and the rhythm in a way only a dancer could understand. He was impressed by the musical style, which was disharmonious and at a measure he’d never heard, yet she didn’t miss a beat. The coins at the hems shook in perfect tune with every calculated swing of the arm, spin of the waist, bow of the head.

But at the very last throw, she fumbled, and the saber barely missed her when it stabbed the floor.

Jay started clapping, but Vanja was frustrated with her poor finish. Her demeanor changed and she became stiff and unfocused; It was clearly not the first time this had happened. She yanked the sword out of the floor as her instructor barked, “Again!”

She took another deep breath, and the music began again, but this time her movements were sharper and harder at the turns. Cole felt stressed just watching. He took the shisha pipe Kai handed him to force himself to focus on something else for a minute.

She stumbled and the instructor stopped the music. “Again!”

Vanja was fuming by this point, which only made her movements sloppier. By the time the fan slipped out from her hand and onto the floor, she quickly bowed to excuse herself, threw her props to the side and stormed out into the hall.

Cole scrambled to his feet and ran out after her.

The king sighed and leaned on his hand. “Just like her mother,” he commented, to no one in particular. Wu looked up at him and the king continued, “She is a good girl, but easily led to frustration.”

Cole found Vanja sitting on the stairwell in the main entrance hall, struggling to take off her headdress. It was held to her hair by so many bobby pins, her bun was coming undone along the way. He sat next to her and immediately started helping.

She groaned, “This stupid thing is so heavy, I can hardly feel my neck.”

He held the headdress in one hand and used the other to carefully remove the pins from her hair, creating a pile on the stair next to them.

“You know,” she mused, patiently waiting, “My mother was against the idea of the debut.”

“Oh?” Cole questioned, bobby pins in his teeth.

She reminisced, “Mother was from an outside kingdom. She used to tell me stories, show me her photographs.”

The last of the pins came out.

“She thought arranged marriages were archaic and silly.”

Vanja sat still as Cole carefully removed the hat and veil from her head.

“And I agree!” She threw her hands up in the air, causing the coins stitched to her sleeves to jingle, “I absolutely abhor the idea.”

Cole held the headdress in his hands, feeling its weight. “You shouldn’t have to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with,” he let his thoughts slip without meaning.

She smiled sadly at him.

“Shintaro must seem so strange to you, as your customs are to us.” She folded her hands in her lap. “Our kingdom is not designed for only one ruler. We must always have two on the throne.”

He put aside the costume and walked down a couple of steps. She raised an eyebrow as he held out his hand to her.

“Come on,” he offered, “I’ll help you.”

* * *

The king, Wu, and Lloyd, had retired to the study for the afternoon to speak on some matters, so as usual, the others were left to their own devices. Kai, Nya, Jay, and Zane stayed in the ballroom, talking about what they’d learned of Shintaro, while smoking shisha. 

Jay took one hit and coughed uncontrollably, “I don’t - don’t know how you can handle this stuff!”

Nya put down her pipe and smacked Jay’s back, though it hurt more than helped. Kai offered him a sweet, but Jay shook his head, still coughing up a fit.

Zane, who had no trouble calculating just how to inhale, put another hot coal in the tray to heat up the vapor. “I looked through the records of the kingdom’s finances last night.”

The others gave him a look.

“It’s all public,” he defended. “The point is, I found something quite peculiar about Shintaro.”

“Just one?” Kai quipped. Nya elbowed him in the rib.

Zane cleared his throat and continued, “The kingdom relies entirely on imports to sustain its growth.”

“So?” Kai again was elbowed by Nya.

“Just because you’re cranky, doesn’t mean you have to take it out on us,” she took a plum from the basket of fruit in front of them. “Tell us what that means, Zane.”

He looked around to be sure no one was listening, then leaned forward over his crossed legs. The others followed suit until they were huddled close.

“Shintaro has no exports. It does not _create_ anything without importing materials from another region. I can’t be too sure, PIXAL is analyzing the data more thoroughly, but I believe it means -”

* * *

“- The kingdom depends on a political marriage, to save itself from collapse?” Wu asked the king, a little incredulously. 

King Vangelis didn’t seem to take offense to Wu’s tone. He slumped a bit in his chair, more lax than they’d expect from royalty.

“Nasty business,” he scrunched his face in disgust, “But it is an unfortunate necessity in our case.”

Lloyd, Wu, and the king sat in the study, a small but still luxurious room of the palace. Books lined shelves from floor to ceiling. The rug was red and brown and intricately woven. At the window sat the king’s desk, the focal point of the room. Piles of paperwork lay on the desk and some on the floor next to it. It seemed the king was rather busy of late.

The king began to pace the room. “We _had_ hoped to secure a partnership with Ninjago City, through marriage of Our daughter and Princess Harumi - “

Wu looked over at his nephew, who turned stone-faced at her mention.

“- But…” The king waved his hand, “As you know, that is no longer possible.”

Lloyd didn’t want to think about her anymore.

“Sounds to me like you should be grateful,” He commented, a little more abrasive than he meant to sound. He couldn’t help it. When it came to her, it was like a sore wound that wouldn’t close.

Wu stood up quickly, “Please, forgive my nephew -.” 

“- If your daughter married Harumi,” Lloyd stood up as well, “Your kingdom may have well been overthrown and destroyed.”

Wu gave Lloyd a look of stern disappointment, but he was too caught up in his feelings to care.

The king, however, seemed to take a keen interest in what Lloyd was saying.

He walked over to Lloyd. “You are correct. We were saddened to hear of the fate of the Emperor and Empress. Every day, We Reflect on their deaths. We offer Our condolences to you, citizens of Ninjago City.” He bowed his head, and Lloyd was taken aback by this humble gesture.

“We are proceeding with a political marriage to _avoid_ a similar fate.” King Vangelis explained, walking over to his chair to sit again. He picked up a photo frame that rested on his desk and looked at it longingly.

“Shintaro’s ties with neighboring nations have weakened, _significantly_ , since my wife’s demise.”

Wu removed his hat in respect. The king gestured for them to take their seats again. At the same time, there was a knock on the study door.

“Come in,” the king shouted, and some servants came in with a rolling tray of goods. “Ah, splendid!” He exclaimed. “Please, help yourselves.” He took a cigar from a silver tray himself. Lloyd took a few sweets, but Wu politely declined.

The king insisted, “Sensei, We will be here for quite a while. Won’t you have some tea, at least?”

A servant was already at Wu’s side, cup and saucer offered.

“Ah,” Wu felt flustered, “Very well. Thank you, Your Highness.” He took the tea in his hands gently.

The king waved as he did before and lit his cigar. The servants exited, leaving the tray in the room.

“As you may guess,” he took a puff, “Imports are drying up. Without a tie to another nation, through marriage, Our trade agreements are null and void.”

Lloyd crossed his arms. “Why are you telling us all this?”

The king chuckled at this. “You do not like beating around the bush. We admire that greatly in you, Green Ninja.”

Wu sipped his tea lightly. The king tapped his cigar onto an ashtray.

“Our daughter Vanja understands how important this debut is to Shintaro’s survival,” He began, “But she is also somewhat hot-headed. Since her mother died a year ago, We fear We have been growing apart. She is getting… ideas that would jeopardize the stability of Our great kingdom.”

He sighed and took another drag. Lloyd was taking in the information with a fuming filter.

The king continued, “She is prepared to marry another royal and understands the consequences. However…” He looked directly at Wu, who had been focused on his cup of tea, “We understand she has been spending a considerable amount of time with one of your students.”

Lloyd and Wu gave each other a knowing look.

“Cole.”

* * *

Cole led Vanja by the hand down the stairs, to the floor of the main entrance hall. She was giggling as they walked into the center of the room. He placed a hand on her waist and lifted the other.

“You know how to waltz, right?” He asked rather cheekily.

“Of course,” she giggled, “But what does that have to do with - whoa!”

He was humming a tune and spinning her around, as playful with his steps as he was masterful. She couldn’t stop laughing as she tried to keep up, but every time she caught up he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her in the air.

For the first time in what seemed like years, she felt loose and carefree.

He put her down one last time and looked at her, still holding her waist. “Now try to do that yourself.”

Her face fell, “What? But there’s no way I could.”

He stepped back a bit and held her hand to twirl her, “Of course not!” He spun her out, “You’re never alone when you dance,” He spun her back into himself once more, and held her there for a moment. “Those you love, like your mother, they’re always with you.”

She laughed, “That’s probably the cheesiest thing I have heard you say.”

He smiled shyly and rubbed the back of his neck, “Just telling you what I tell myself.” He spun her out again, “Think of dancing like… Reflection. Let go of your stresses and worries.”

When she twirled back in, they shared a look of longing. He held her close, arms around her waist, heart beating so hard and so fast he thought the earth was quaking. 

Suddenly, they heard footsteps coming towards them.

She leaned in to whisper in his ear, “Meet me in my room tonight, after dark.” His eyes widened, and she put her finger on his lips, “Do not speak of this to anyone,” she commanded.

They let each other go, and the moment Vanja walked away, Cole felt his heart sink just a little. She grabbed her headdress when Captain Hailmar turned the corner to greet them.

The captain bowed, “Your Highness’ presence is requested in the study.”

She hurried to the captain’s side and walked with him back down the hall. Cole could only watch as Vanja picked up her pace, her long auburn hair swaying across her back. He wondered what she wanted from him, and what he wanted from her.

He couldn’t remember the last time he _wanted_.


	5. An Impossible Task

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What could a sweet princess hide behind violet eyes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any questions please message me! This has been fun to write so far.

“You called for me, Father?” Vanja entered the study, with Captain Hailmar trailing a few feet behind. She was still holding her headdress in her hands, veil folded up so as not to drag on the floor.

Wu was surprised; He did not notice when the king had sent for the princess. Lloyd stiffened when he saw her.

The king motioned for her to come in, “Sit, darling.”

She took the empty chair by his side as instructed.

“It is important that you hear what We have to say,” explained the king to his daughter, “To Our esteemed guests.”

She caught Lloyd’s eye, but his expression was so cold that she immediately looked away. Wu gave her a small smile. She fiddled with a coin attached to the hem of her hat as she waited to hear her father speak.

The king leaned forward over his desk to address Wu. “Truthfully,” he began, his voice lowered, “you and your students were invited here for  _ another _ reason.”

Wu put his tea cup down to show he was listening. King Vangelis leaned back and took another puff of his cigar. Wu held in a cough as best he could.

“While it is true that Our daughter is a fan of your students,” he continued, “We have also invited your students here to assist Our Captain of the Guard, Captain Hailmar, in guarding Princess Vanja during the debut ball.”

He looked first at Wu, who seemed surprised but compliant, then to Lloyd, who looked suspicious and unwilling.

The king then smiled, “Additionally, We request that your Earth student, Cole, is to be Princess Vanja’s  _ personal guard _ for the duration of your stay here.”

Lloyd stood up and slammed his hands on the desk, “Sir, with all due respect, choose  _ me _ instead. I have the most experience handling the guard duty of a royal and I think-”

“-That’s  **ENOUGH** , Lloyd!” Wu boomed, silencing everyone in the room. He turned to the king, “I apologize for raising my voice, Your Highness. Cole will be assigned to guard the Princess immediately.”

Lloyd knew that when his uncle yelled like that, he meant business, but this time he struggled to obey.  _ Cole couldn’t possibly be up to the task. He’d fall for her, and she’d take advantage of his trusting nature, and everything would be left to me to clean up, _ Lloyd thought to himself (Unaware of the irony).

He looked to the king again, “Sir, you said yourself that Cole was spending  _ a lot _ of time with the princess,” he jabbed a finger to point at Vanja, who took offense at the rude gesture.

“Which is  _ why _ he is  _ perfect _ for the role,” the king replied, in a manner that imposed onto Lloyd he should  sit down and  shut up ,  _ now _ . “It is plain to anyone that Cole would give his life for those he cares about, is it not?” He asked Wu.

Wu answered, “It is true.”

“And is it not plain to see that he fancies Our daughter, in some fashion?” the king asked, causing Vanja to blush bright red.

Wu replied again, hesitantly, “It is true.”

The king continued, “We have reason to believe that a  _ coup d’etat _ may be attempted by some of Our, shall We say, more  _ disgruntled _ subjects.” He took another puff of his cigar before tapping it into the ashtray that sat next to the photograph of his wife.

“The Kingdom of Shintaro must always have two of equal power on the throne. Our subjects have been anxious since Our beloved’s demise a year ago,” he opened a drawer in his desk to pull out a pamphlet, “Some seem ready to mobilize a small army. Flyers have been spread which call for a change to Our political structure,” he handed the pamphlet to Wu, who looked it over with eyebrows raised.

“Your Highness,” Wu scanned the words on the pamphlet, “I apologize as I am not used to Shintaro’s customs. Would the princess’ marriage not appease the citizens?” He handed the paper to Lloyd, “It would restore economic prosperity to the kingdom, wouldn’t it?”

The king shook his head and waved a hand, “They believe that a lapse such as the one between Our Beloved’s death and now, though only a year, is indicative of larger issues in Shintaro’s structure.”

“For example,” Vanja spoke up, “They are afraid of a future possibility where a lapse larger than a year occurs, and believe we have  no safety net -”

“- Which is  _ preposterous _ , of course -” the king chuckled, but it didn’t put Wu at ease one bit.

“- That would prevent the citizens from starving.” The princess finished.

Wu turned to Vanja, “You seem quite knowledgeable on the subject, Your Highness.”

Vanja stiffened at this, and Lloyd noticed. “Yes, well, I have been involved in  _ much _ political study in preparation for my coronation, Sensei Wu,” she answered, in an almost rehearsed manner. Lloyd grew increasingly suspicious.

King Vangelis placed a hand on her shoulder. “As bright as her mother,” he commented. She grimaced, but only Lloyd caught it before she forced a smile on her face instead.

“We aim to avoid the same fate as Ninjago City’s Emperor and Empress. To this end, We cannot be sure Our  _ own palace guardsmen _ are immune to  _ propaganda _ .” The king became deadly serious, “So you see, she  **must** be guarded by an  **outsider** . She is  _ not to leave _ the palace grounds.” He paused, making sure his words sank in.

“She will be placed under 24 hour surveillance by your Earth student, starting tomorrow.” 

* * *

Wu stopped in the hall to catch his breath. He had just been inundated with information he wasn’t sure he wanted. And now he had work to do.

He turned down the hall to walk towards the guest wing, when he passed by the ballroom again. He heard laughter, and the distinct sound of Jay’s voice, and stopped to peek inside.

All of his students, minus his nephew of course, were huddled around the shisha. Each of them were lazily spread across various rugs and cushions as they relaxed from a stressful few days. Nya sat cross-legged with Cole’s head in her lap, Jay laid across Cole’s chest, Zane laid on his side propped up on his elbow, and Kai was on his stomach, face inches away from Cole’s as they giggled and reminisced about things Wu could not hear.

The shisha was running low on heat, and Wu noticed Kai trying and failing to ignite a new round of coals from the tray. It should’ve been a simple task, Wu thought, but Kai grew immensely frustrated before Cole grabbed his hands to stop him. His students seemed to have confirmed what he suspected the moment they arrived:

Shintaro is  _ full _ of Vengestone.

Cole pushed Jay off of him and slowly got up to find more hot coals, when he noticed Wu lurking in the doorway. “Sensei!” His reaction was a bit louder than he meant it to be, and the others quickly scrambled to sit in a more dignified manner.

“No need to get formal on my account,” Wu cracked to his students, trying to ease the tension. They just gave each other a worried look. His stress was that palpable.

Wu cleared his throat. “Cole, may I speak with you?” He gestured to the hall with his head. Cole joined him at the doorway, and the others watched the two of them walk off.

“What do you suppose that’s all about?” Asked Zane.

Nya shook her head, “I think I know…”

Kai looked down at his hands, lost in thought. Zane took notice and put a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“What is it?”

Kai huffed and threw his hands up in the air, “I can’t conjure any fire! Ever since we got here I’ve felt off. For  _ once _ I’d _ love _ to keep my powers steady,” he groaned.

“Let me try,” Jay shut his eyes to concentrate, but nothing happened. He opened them to shrugs from his peers, “Nothing? Not even a light flickering?” They shook their heads.

Zane stroked his chin in thought, “I wonder if Lloyd is having the same issue.”

Kai rolled his eyes and adopted a rather nasty tone.

“He’s the  _ Green Ninja _ , I’m sure he’s just _ fine _ .”

The shisha was cold now, and everyone felt exhausted. The four of them decided to meet again in the morning, at the library where Zane said the statue shook him to his core. They agreed to keep this from Cole, at least until they could figure out what was going on. Between the lost elemental powers, no record of natural disasters, unsteady economic trades, and the tension of the upcoming debut, it felt prudent to investigate. And they weren’t sure who could be trusted.

* * *

“We have an even  _ more _ important task for  _ you _ , Green Ninja.”

The king had sent Vanja away, and stopped Lloyd from following her. Lloyd looked at the king with great curiosity.

“What could be  _ more important _ than protecting the princess?” Lloyd asked.

King Vangelis grew a sly smile at the question.

“Protecting  **Us** .”

* * *

Wu walked into his bedroom, Cole following just behind. Wu took his tea, which had been steeping all day, and opened the doors to the balcony at the far end. The sun was setting beyond the mountain range, leaving behind a haze of orange and purple. Shintaro was at such a high elevation that clouds could be seen below.

The two of them sat on rattan chairs, facing out towards the impossible cliff drop at the edge of the mountain. Wu handed Cole a teacup, and took a deep breath.

“Cole…” He began, unsure of quite how to word what he wanted to say. Cole took a sip of the tea and immediately made a face.

“Eugh,” Cole put the cup down, “Sensei, how can you stand such a long steep? What’d you do, leave it all day?”

Wu huffed, “Please,  _ listen _ .” His student turned to him attentively and sat up straighter. Wu’s expression softened. “King Vangelis has assigned you a task.”

Cole raised a brow, “How come I didn’t know about this?”

“Because  _ I’m _ telling you,  _ now _ .” Wu answered. “Cole, the king has requested for you to be Princess Vanja’s personal bodyguard.”

The sky was now more purple than orange, and Cole took the silence to absorb the news. He was excited to spend more time with Vanja, ecstatic even, but he couldn’t help but feel there was a catch, and whatever it was, he needed to tread carefully.

In a foreign kingdom, where he is an outsider, being so close to royalty all of a sudden, he knew his every move would be scrutinized, and any false steps could be catastrophic. He didn’t plan to spend the rest of his life in a dungeon.

Or worse.

“Why me?” Cole’s tone was more inquisitive than defensive, “And not a royal guard who’s, you know, trained for this type of thing?”

Wu poured himself some more tea and took a sip before answering. “There are… rumors, of a possible  _ coup d'etat _ brewing.” Cole looked shocked, but Wu continued, “The king believes even the palace may be compromised. That is why he feels that he cannot trust even his own guards for this task.

“I see...”

“And she is  _ forbidden _ from leaving the palace.”

Cole thought of all the things she said she wanted to do, and he didn’t want to think about the possibility of her life ending short. He already felt determined to protect her light from anyone who would do her harm.

But keeping her locked up in the palace? Would that be necessary? Even possible?

Could he keep her restrained, even after she confided in him that she felt like a prisoner?

They sat for a while longer as the remaining rays of sun hid behind the horizon. The tea became colder, and the night air was chilly. Cole lit a cigarette in his mouth, a habit Wu was wary of, but would be a fool to criticize, as he pulled out his own pipe and Cole lit a match for him.

The two of them were always able to sit together, silently, pensively. It was a strong bond only of a student and master who, at different times, relied on  _ each other _ for guidance. It was a true bond of friendship as much as mentorship. And it was because of this that Wu knew what he had to do next.

Wu picked up the tea tray, and Cole followed him inside. He set the tray on top of a small table near the balcony, curtains swaying in the breeze.

“Cole,” Wu started, as his student closed the balcony doors. His expression was somber and pained. “There’s something else we must discuss.”

“Yeah, Sensei?” Cole turned to Wu. When he saw Wu’s expression, however, he had a feeling he knew what it was about.

Wu sighed heavily, “Try... not to get too  _ involved... _ with the princess.”

Cole was quiet, and pursed his lips while thinking how to respond. The task given to him would make a promise like that so much more difficult.

Wu’s face fell, and Cole knew that his sensei was only being dutiful. Only reminding him of the oath he took when he became a student of his teachings. They gave each other a knowing look.

“Of course, Sensei,” Cole answered, bowing to Wu before turning to leave. Wu instinctively reached out a hand to comfort him, but Cole shook his head, saying, “I know how it goes. I won’t interfere.”

Cole had an unhealthy habit of putting others’ needs before his own. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he were responsible for the pain and suffering of a nation if he failed. He gave his sensei a sad smile and walked away, leaving Wu wondering just how long his most responsible student could last under the pressure. 

* * *

Lloyd was instructed to meet the king in the garden, at midnight, and took the opportunity to do a little reconnaissance beforehand. He saw the princess, who had not gone far, duck into a room at the end of the hall.

He pulled his hood over his head, having worn his gi under the silk robe provided by the kingdom, and followed her.

_ This must be the  _ _mail room_ , Lloyd wagered; Thin wooden cubbies that stacked to an impossibly high ceiling, the smell of paper and ink permeating the air, and the sight of winged soldiers melting wax gave that away. 

Vanja, however, was avoiding being seen by the guards. She moved with such stealth and precision, he could have sworn she could be a ninja. But this only made him more suspicious of her, and he followed her through the room, both of them careful to avoid being spotted.

She grabbed a pair of wings sitting against a desk and put them on. Lloyd cursed the fact that he didn’t know how to use them, and that Airjitzu would create too powerful a wind to keep his cover.

No, he’d have to climb after her.

He used the cubbies as footholds while Vanja effortlessly glided up towards the top of the tower. He struggled to keep pace with her, and at times his foot would slip and papers would fall to the floor below. He tried not to look down.

She fluttered around, searching for something near the roof. Lloyd was unable to get a good look at it, but she seemed to pull out a letter from a mailbox.

As he tried to get closer, he lost his footing, and yelped as he plummeted towards the ground. She gasped and dove down without hesitation. She saw his eyes widen as she caught him, his expression like a deer in headlights.

He didn’t say anything to her as she gently set him down on the ground. Before he could open his mouth, they heard the sounds of soldiers running over to investigate, and she bolted upwards to escape through the roof.

“What’s going on?” One soldier asked Lloyd.

He wiped his brow and watched her scramble out of the open skylight on the rooftop.

“Nothing,” he lied. He brushed past the officers on his way out.

* * *

Cole knocked one, two, three times on Princess Vanja’s door, resigned to fulfill his duty, yet curious about her proposition. His feelings were in constant turmoil. He couldn’t sort them just yet, so he repressed them down as he waited for an answer at the door.

...But none came.

He knocked again, a little louder this time.

Still nothing.

Panicked thoughts rushed into his head, spurred on by the fact that just moments earlier he was told that someone may want to hurt her. He put his ear to the door, but didn’t hear a thing. Was it possible she hadn’t returned yet?

He slowly turned the handle and found that the door was unlocked, which only worried him more. Images of her innocent face, her small frame, lying on the ground, the  _ stench _ of blood, they all flooded his mind at once as he prepared for the worst and flung the door open - 

The room was quiet, empty. He checked behind the balcony curtains, under the bed, in the closet, even in the drawers of her vanity, and found no signs of a struggle. The sigh of relief that escaped his lips was audible.

Just then, the handle of the balcony doors turned. The curtains obscured who it was, and before he could think he leapt into action, pinning the intruder to the glass.

“Unhand me!” Shouted Vanja, shocked at the reception she received. Cole, who had one arm across her clavicle and the other gripping her shoulder, widened his eyes. They stood like that for a moment, breathing heavily from the adrenaline.

“God, Vanja!” He immediately gripped her into a hug, “I’m so sorry.”

She was a bit taken aback by his actions. “It’s, it’s quite alright,” she managed to squeeze out as he held her in a bear hug. “It’s perfectly understandable.”

He let go, only to grab her by the shoulders and look her in the eye. “What’s the big idea?! Sneaking in through the balcony like that.”

Before she could answer, he looked over at the balcony curiously.

“T-Through the…”

Cole let go of her and walked out onto the balcony, unbothered by the chilly night air. He peered over the seven-story drop. There he found a pair of wings, leaning against the metal railing.

He came back inside to find Vanja watching him nervously.

“...You must have questions,” she stated.

“Several,” he conceded, “But for starters, why did you ask me here?”

She blushed a bit and turned away, “Recently I… have trouble getting to sleep, most nights,” she admitted.

“You know that my father has assigned you to guard me, from now until my debut.” She fiddled with the hem of her robe as she spoke. “He believes there is a credible threat against my life.”

Cole leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, listening intently.

“He’s right,” she looked up at him. “There have been several attempts on my life leading up to this week.”

He looked concerned, but she continued.

“I believe… someone was following me even on my way  _ here _ ,” she managed to choke out, purposefully omitting any information that would implicate Lloyd. She couldn’t be sure of _ his  _ motives just yet.

Cole walked over to her and took her hands in his. “From now on, I won’t let  _ anything _ happen to you.”

She basked in the softness of his tone. It only hurt all the more when she couldn’t look him in the eye. She wanted to tell him  _ everything _ , but she couldn’t risk endangering him. She couldn’t get him  _ involved _ .

They each felt a protective urge towards the other, but instead of pushing each other away, it seemed to only bring them closer. The adrenaline and the chaos and the stress only heightened those desires to be  _ close _ and be  _ comforted _ .

Soon, without warning, without planning, and without hesitation, their lips met, not in passion but in reassurance.

She tasted of sun-kissed cherries, and he of tea and tobacco. They were two different worlds, colliding together as one.

When they pulled their kiss apart, the gap between their bodies had closed, and they could feel each other’s heat through their satin robes. A decision had to be made  **quickly** , and though it hurt him,  _ deeply _ , Cole was the first one to make it.

“Princess… We  _ can’t _ .”

Vanja promptly stepped back and avoided eye contact. “You’re right.” She wiped her mouth, “I apologize.”

Cole waved his hands frantically, “No no! I’m the one who should apologize, I-I was feeling -”

She put a finger on his lips, her new favorite way to take control of the situation.

“Please. Let’s not give it a  _ name _ .” She smiled sadly, “You were simply comforting me. I thank you for that.”

He chuckled lightly, “O-of course! Friends can kiss each other, it’s no big deal.”

She wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince more, himself or her.

“I feel much safer now that you’re here.” She blurted out.

It wasn’t a lie, but she felt guilty about it all the same. She knew the true reason her father gave Cole this task.

“Princess…” Cole couldn’t help but refer to her by title in situations like this. Situations where he felt like he was on the verge of breaking his oath. A subconscious reminder of it.

“ _ Please _ ,” she reminded him that she loathed being referred to by her royal title.

He stroked her hair and shut down the warmth building in his chest as best he could. It became so difficult to even say her name without his heart coming close to bursting.

“... _ Habibi _ , I’m here for you.”

If they cannot be  _ lovers _ , then let them be  _ friends _ .

And who determines what crosses the line, in a friendship?

* * *

Lloyd followed the king deep into the garden, quiet in the night. They crossed a bridge over a small creek, and weaved through the sprawling hedge maze that Lloyd could’ve sworn only existed in movies. They veered into a dead end, and before Lloyd could correct him, the king had pulled aside a weave of branches to reveal a metal grate in the bush.

“Before We go any further,” the king looked to Lloyd, who was enraptured by it all, “We must be sure We can  _ trust _ you.”

Lloyd puffed out his chest and stood tall. “Of course you can trust me,” he put a fist to his heart in a show of loyalty, “We are protectors of peace and order.” His tone was resolute.

King Vangelis still did not budge.

“I will serve you as your guest, Your Highness,” Lloyd declared, but did not bow. “I am loyal to you as long as I’m in your kingdom.”

The king smirked, and opened the grate. “Truthfully, Green Ninja, We had already made the decision to trust you before inviting you to Shintaro,” he grabbed a torch from the wall and lit it, “But, it was nice to hear you say that.”

Lloyd felt himself flush deep red in embarrassment. He received a torch from the king and followed him into the dark, damp cave.


	6. Forbidden Fruit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 9/29/20: I have updated the chapter and made it longer. At first this was the original length I was gonna make it, then I worried it was too long and cut it short. Then I ended up hating how short it was so I made it long again. Sorry for any inconvenience!

The next morning, a hooded figure walked briskly through the streets. Under the shroud of the new dawn, they ducked into an alleyway, weaving through twists and turns. They climbed a small fence, avoided the street lamps, kept their footsteps gentle and light.

At last, they came upon an ivy covered gate, hidden among the shrubbery. The hooded figure knocked, and the gate opened.

Beyond the gate was a small garden, enclosed within high brick walls, and covered with a glass dome. It was clearly neglected; the dome was covered in moss and let in no light, and the bricks were washed out and graying. But the grass grew as green as anything, and flowers bloomed without fault.

A large statue of a warrior woman, with a sword in each hand, stood as the centerpiece. Its onyx stonework gleamed in the moonlight. The hooded figure was transfixed by its radiance.

“Were you followed?”

A young man, no older than 20, with pale-white Shintaro features and hair as black as the statue, stood up from a bench and asked the visitor.

“No,” came the answer. The hooded figure stepped forward to greet him in an embrace. The man took their hand in his and led them to another door hidden in the bricks. It opened to reveal a narrow staircase, winding deep down into the ground.

“Hamza…” The hooded figure seemed hesitant, but the man smiled gently and stepped ahead.

“Don’t worry,” he squeezed their hand, and took a torch off the wall to carry in the other. This seemed to put the figure’s mind at ease, and the two of them descended, deep into the earth.

After a claustrophobic climb, they finally reached a large cave. The walls were of shimmering onyx, with copper veins running throughout. The cave seemed to be inhabited for quite some time. Cots lined one wall, and ration stores lined another. In the center of the cave was a large table surrounded by many stools.

Some of the cots were occupied with sleeping people, who stirred as the two of them walked past with echoing footsteps. At one end of the table, a map was spread out, with candles illuminating the corners. The man called Hamza placed his torch on the wall and began preparing the table for a meal.

The hooded figure reached into their cloak and emptied onto the table a spread of provisions. Wines, coffees, teas, fruits, meat, rice. Some of those sleeping woke and rose out of bed to help, grabbing chalices and plateware from the ration stores and scurrying around the table. The cave was soon abuzz with shuffling footsteps, plates hitting the wood table, conversation and excitement for the meal they were preparing for.

Hamza walked over to his hooded friend and placed a hand on their shoulder.

“Thank you, my friend,” he whispered low, so the others would not hear. “The rations have been running low. I had to write you in secret, to save the others from shame.”

The figure pulled their hood down and smiled at him.

“Anything for the Revolution.”

* * *

_Vanja twirled the peach in her hand as they lay together, “You know,” she leaned toward Cole flirtatiously, “They say Shintaro grows the best peaches in the world.”_

_He leaned forward too, “Oh yeah?”_

_“Mmhmm,” she hummed, looking at him with hooded eyes. “It’s due to the elevation.”_

_She put the peach to her lips and took a slow, small bite, never breaking eye contact. The juice dribbled down her chin and onto his hand. His breath hitched and his body stiffened. He wondered how to respond, or if he should respond at all. Her lips began to sparkle from the juice._

_The warning words of his Sensei played fainter and fainter in his head as he became dizzy with anticipation._

_She licked her lips and against his better judgment, he reached up to her chin and traced her mouth with his thumb. She moved her face closer to his, until she could feel his breath on her._

_“Habibi...” he breathed out in almost a whisper._

_She was on top of him now, her lips brushing his, and the cold peach juice trickled down into his mouth. His scar was pulsing, and the vision in his left eye was going dark. They embraced in the moonlight, and their breathing became heavy, and they were left dancing in the dark._

* * *

The morning sun crept in through a skylight above the bed. Cole was asleep on his back, dressed only in his skivvies, covers thrown off and legs spread from overheating in the night. His eyes fluttered open at the sound of the birds outside. He turned over onto his side. Before him, he noticed an indentation in the sheets, shaped like someone had slept there last night.

He sat up with a start. The bed posts were intricately detailed and gilded. Velvet curtains in a royal violet hue were drawn around ¾ of the bed. This was not his room.

It was Princess Vanja’s.  
  
 _Oh no,_ he thought, looking at the empty space next to him, _Did I…? Did WE…?_

He touched his lips. His mouth tasted of peaches.

_Wait, where is she?_

He became acutely aware of the sweat on his skin and on the sheets, and grabbed his robe from the floor in a hurry to get dressed. Before he could put one arm through, however, Vanja entered the room carrying a cup of coffee, humming.

“Good morning!” She called to him. “Ready for breakfast?”

He stood there with a dumbfounded expression, frozen in place.

“Well? Everyone is waiting for you.” She turned and walked out into the hall again. He quickly pulled his robe onto himself and ran out to join her.

“Hey, wait!” He quickened his step to catch up and walk beside her, “Last night… I mean why was I…?”

She raised an eyebrow, “You really don’t remember?” They turned a corner and started heading down the stairs. “You stayed with me because I felt unsafe. Remember? _Coup d’etat_?”

“Yes but -” He struggled to keep pace as she walked quickly towards the dining hall, “I just want to be sure - I mean, I don’t remember much - Did we _do_ anything?”

She gave an exasperated sigh, “Please speak clearly! What are you asking?!”

He stepped in front of her to confront her, and before he could notice her opening the door, he blurted out, “I need to know if we had **sex** last night!”

The words, shouted at a volume he did not anticipate, echoed across the dining hall. The silence rang even louder in his ears, and he slowly turned around to see King Vangelis, as well as his friends, staring wildly at the two of them. His eyes darted around, unsure of what to do next.

Vanja addressed the whole dining hall in her answer, “ _No_ , we did _not_.” She brushed past him and took her seat at the table, putting down her coffee and keeping herself regal and poised. King Vangelis turned to Wu, who had already buried his head in his hands.

Nya mouthed to Cole to sit next to her, and when everyone resumed eating and chatting, he joined her. She grabbed his arm before his backside even reached the cushion.

“ _Spill_ ,” She commanded in a whisper. Cole groaned and sat at his place, too embarrassed to eat.

Zane leaned over on his other side, “Wouldn’t you _know_ if you did?” Cole shot him a glare and he shrugged, “Just asking.”

Cole sighed and whispered back to Nya, “I woke up _in her bed_ this morning.” She leaned in closer to hear him continue, “I… I think I might have _dreamt_ about - **AUGH**!”

Nya ducked as Wu reached his staff across the table to _repeatedly_ smack Cole upside the head.

“ _What - Did - I - Tell - You - Boy - !_ ” His sensei yelled through gritted teeth, struggling to lean on the table with Kai stabilizing him.

King Vangelis cleared his throat to silence the table and direct their attention to him, “Please, calm yourselves!” Wu retracted his staff and sat back down, and Cole rubbed his head. “We disapprove of violence, especially at meal times.” Wu lowered his head. The king continued, “We trust Our daughter’s judgment. She knows her responsibilities, and her role.” He glared at her, and she sat up straight. “If she says it did not occur, We believe her.”

The two of them did not break eye contact.

“The matter is settled,” The king seemed satisfied with her answer, and proceeded with his breakfast.

Wu was dubious of the king’s nonchalant attitude on the matter, but decided not to argue further. He shot Cole a look, however, that suggested the issue was far from over. Cole rolled his eyes and picked at the food on his plate without much appetite.

Some time later, Lloyd stumbled in, with dark circles under his eyes and disheveled hair. He took his seat next to Kai, who happily filled him in on what happened earlier that morning. This only seemed to make Lloyd more tired, and he still refused to make eye contact with Cole, just as before. He, too, was uninterested in eating, and simply moved a cherry around his plate with a fork.

After breakfast, Vanja and Cole walked back to her bedroom in silence. He wanted to apologize for his earlier outburst, but he wasn’t sure where to start.

Had it been a dream? Could he be _sure_ he didn’t act on his feelings last night?

Why did he wake up with the taste of peaches on his lips?

They entered, and the bed had already been made; The sheets changed, linens pressed, and the curtains drawn. Cole flushed red at the thought of a chambermaid, seeing the messy and sweaty state the bed was in, making assumptions about what happened. The princess didn’t need any rumors swirling about her right before the big day. And his presence did not help prevent that.

Yet the princess, through everything, kept a cool demeanor. Maybe he’d been making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe Shintaro customs were less prudish, or more trusting. Maybe he had offended her, and she was giving him the cold shoulder. He couldn’t figure it out.

She shut the door behind them and hurried to the closet. He stood back near the doorway.

“So, uh...” He began, trying to lighten the mood, “What’s the plan for today?”

She rummaged through her drawers without answering.

He continued, “Do you have more, more dance rehearsal? Or maybe some other… rehearsals, or something?” He cursed himself mentally. Couldn’t he form an intelligent sentence, just this once?

She gave a small “tsk” as she closed the last drawer, clearly unable to find something important. He looked at her curiously.

“...Vanja?”

She snapped back into the moment, and grabbed a long, brown, hooded robe from underneath her bed. “I’m going into town,” she explained.

She turned the robe over in her hands. It was ratty, as though it were made of burlap, with threads coming off of the seams. She threw it on with ease and lifted the hood over her head, concealing her bright auburn hair.

“Wait, hold on,” He stammered, reaching for her as she opened the balcony doors, “Your father said -”

“- My father says what he pleases,” she strapped the wings on and perched on the railing, “I’ll be back before anyone notices!”

That didn’t reassure Cole at all, and he couldn’t catch her before she jumped off the balcony and flew down into the gardens below.

* * *

“Thanks again!”

An old woman, gray haired and wisened, waved to Jay as he pulled a handcart full of flowers from her shoppe. In between heaves and sweats, he stopped to wave back. But as the handles fell to the ground, the pile of floral arrangements toppled over and spilled onto the street, spreading dirt and petals everywhere.

“Juuuust **GREAT**!” Jay shouted, throwing his hands up to the sky.

He squatted down to pick up the remnants, when a large shadow loomed over him. Captain Hailmar had flown down from above, landing as light as a feather on the cobblestone. He looked down at Jay.

“Do you require _assistance_?” He asked, rather snarkily. Jay waved him away.

“No, no, I **got** this,” Jay grumbled, fully aware that he had been bumbling his tasks as an errand boy for the palace.

He hastily threw the flowers back into the cart one by one. The captain looked on with great displeasure.

“We do not have time to _dawdle_ . The preparations for the ball are _already_ falling behind,” Captain Hailmar explained. “Have you picked up the linens from the laundress yet?”

Jay threw the last of the flowers back into the cart and grumbled loudly, “I haven’t even _dropped them off_ yet!”

The captain pinched the bridge of his nose. The old florist woman walked over and put a hand on Hjalmar’s shoulder.

“Come now, _Hjalmy_ ,” she cooed, “The _alčak_ has been mighty helpful to me these past few days! Give him some slack.”

Jay’s ears perked up at the captain’s nickname. “ _Hjalmy?!_ ” he laughed, his tone incredulous, “ **_HJALMY?!_ **”

Captain Hjalmar scowled at him, flustered. The old woman giggled. “Oh, you’re a bigshot now, but you’ll always be little _‘Hjalmy’_ to us older folk,” she said as she pinched his cheek. Jay was roaring with laughter, slapping his knees and doubled over.

The captain cleared his throat. “Yes, well, I expect to see this delivery at the palace _post-haste,_ ” he instructed, and took off before Jay could pause long enough to ask questions. His tailwind forced some flowers to fall out of the cart again, not totally by accident, causing Jay’s guffaws to quickly subside.

The old woman sighed, “He’s grown so fast…” she looked wistfully to the sky. Jay cocked his head to the side in curiosity. She winked at him and walked back to her shoppe, whistling a tune.

Through the bustling streets, Jay dragged the floral arrangements to the palace. The old wooden handcart hobbled along the cobblestones, swaying a bit from side to side.

Townsfolk were decorating all around in preparation for the festivities. Winged guards helped string colorful ribbons between every building. The bakers were hard at work, with desserts cooling in every windowsill. The tailors were fitting everyone for lavish robes. Younger, stronger bodies were constructing stages and stalls, while older, wiser folk looked on and directed them.

A group of weavers sat in an alleyway garden, weaving a large, intricate tapestry to commemorate the occasion. They had the border stitched together, and had begun sewing, what Jay could only assume, a timeline of Vanja’s life. A childhood among the flowers, growing in the palace, learning to be a warrior. It was all represented in a shapeless art style he had never seen before. The tapestry was already halfway finished; It must end at the coronation, he wagered.

As he arrived at the palace entrance, Nya, Kai, and Zane came out to greet him.

“Jay!” Kai exclaimed, hurrying down the steps, “Buddy! You missed a _helluva_ breakfast.”

Jay, heaving from his morning chores, growled in his throat. “Oh, yeah?” The jaded tone was not lost on them.

Zane immediately ran over and took the handcart from his friend to give him a break. Nya took her time down the stairs, as if hoping Lloyd had changed his mind when she invited him to join them, and would come running out at the last minute.

To her disappointment, he didn’t appear.

The four of them brought the floral arrangements into the servant’s storage quarters, and no sooner had Jay informed the majordomo of the delivery than he had been handed a bag of linens to drop off with the town laundress.

“Your work seems endless,” Zane commented in awe. “Is there any way we can help?”

Jay laughed nervously at the offer, “No way, I can handle it! They only need one errand boy. Besides,” he looked at Kai, “I’m not gonna be responsible for any screw-ups _you_ guys make!”

Kai narrowed his eyes, “I _resent_ that.”

“You’ll have to - _ugh!_ \- investigate without me,” Jay grunted as he shifted the weight of the laundry bag. _If only_ _Cole_ _were free_ , he thought, _that’d be_ _really_ _helpful_.

He took off into town again, kept busy by his unfortunate inability to say no to sweet old ladies and intimidating guardsmen. The three of them looked at each other, painfully aware that they were left to their own devices in uncovering the mysteries that lay before them.

* * *

Lloyd shuffled down the hall to his room after breakfast, too exhausted to do anything other than sleep. The king, who was walking towards him, stopped him in his tracks, and Lloyd mustered the best posture he could under the circumstances.

“Meet Us in the garden at midnight. We shall resume Our search.” The king commanded in a low voice.

Lloyd nodded, hardly able to voice more than a feeble, “Yes, sir,” in response.

The king smirked and walked away. Lloyd yawned and leaned against a pillar for balance before continuing the trek to his room.

* * *

Vanja, disguised and swift, weaved in and out of the crowds with ease. Cole struggled to keep pace, lightly moving people aside, “‘Scuse me, pardon me, _comin’ through!_ ” He was careful not to be rough, but he was losing sight of her brown hood, bobbing in a sea of white and gold.

As she sped past an alley, an arm reached out and pulled her in. Cole gave up all pretense of manners and shoved through the townsfolk, eliciting yelps of surprise from some of them.

When he reached the alleyway, Vanja was locked in a sweet embrace with a man Cole did not recognize.

He had pale white skin and jet-black hair, a native of Shintaro, and he too was dressed in a brown hooded robe as she was. Clutched in Vanja’s fist was a necklace, black string with a single blue pendant, seen dangling as her arms wrapped around the man’s neck and shoulders. Cole stood silently, unaware of the circumstances but painfully sure of his own ignorance. 

As they broke their kiss apart, she glanced at Cole with hooded eyes, almost as if she had meant for him to witness her rendezvous. He didn’t know what to make of that. He could only step forward, awkwardly, to act as her guard. The strange man noticed him and smiled widely.

“I _knew_ you would come,” he whispered to Cole, overcome with emotion. Cole could only seem like a fool, completely oblivious of what that meant.

The man led them both further down the road, to a quiet, secluded corner between a building and one of Shintaro’s ivy-covered walls, at the edge of the city.

Vanja turned the necklace in her fingers. “I’m so glad you found it, Hamza,” she thanked the man, as Cole assisted in putting it around her neck. Hamza could not stop staring at Cole, however, seemingly in a mix of awe and fascination.

“If it were discovered, my safety would be _gravely_ jeopardized,” Vanja shuddered.

Cole finished clasping the necklace, and tried not to think about his hand brushing along her collarbone. He turned to the two of them, each returning vastly different looks.

“Princess… What’s going on? Who _is_ this guy?”

Neither of them replied for a moment, as though weighing the best way to answer. Vanja turned to Hamza, who simply shrugged, then to Cole, who raised an eyebrow. She leaned against a crate and fiddled with the necklace’s pendant.

She took a deep breath, “Hamza is… an old friend.”

“Yeah, I, uh, gathered that much,” Cole replied, a bit coldly. He’d have to work on suppressing his jealous feelings. _There’s nothing between us, remember that,_ he reminded himself, _she’s allowed to have a boyfriend._

“I know who _you_ are,” Hamza told Cole, so joyfully that it caused Cole to soften a bit, “You are _Her_ Son.”

“ _‘Her’_?”

Vanja touched Cole’s arm and whispered hurriedly, “Please, I can explain later.” A shadow passed overhead; Winged guard patrols. “I got what I came here for. We must return before my father suspects anything.”

She took the wings out from inside her robe, but Hamza stopped her. “Wait for the Call to Reflection. You will have the least eyes on you then,” he offered, and she nodded in agreement. He disappeared down the alleyway again, but not before giving her a tender goodbye kiss. Cole looked away.

Vanja instructed Cole on how to use the wing apparatus, as she would not be able to carry him, and he attached it to his back. It reminded him of a backpack, only sturdier and tighter. Much like Borg Industries machinery, the wings used a technology that tapped into the nervous system, letting the user operate them with brain signals. It was all a bit much for Cole to grasp. As long as it worked, he didn’t care much how.

Soon the Call began, and winged soldiers fell out of the sky in waves to participate. Cole thought this to be quite an oversight; Now that he was tasked with Vanja’s safety, he began to see cracks in Shintaro’s security at every turn.

With the skies clear, he carried her high above the minarets, careful that they would not be spotted.

“You know,” he said, “You’ve _really_ gotta stop scaring me.” He tried to sound playful, but truthfully he wasn’t sure how many more surprises he could take. “It’s my job to protect you now, but… it’s a bit difficult to do when I don’t know what’s happening.”

She took his words to heart as she fiddled with the necklace again. The pendant, a single blue bead with white markings resembling an eye, rested on her décolleté.

“I guess… I never thought about it before,” she admitted. “From now on, I’ll try to be more... _honest_ , with you.” 

She closed her eyes and relaxed a bit. It was a sign of trust. 

The Call rang in his ears and his scar suddenly throbbed with a _searing_ pain. He would’ve fallen out of the sky if he wasn’t so concentrated on keeping course. He tightened his grip and shifted her weight closer to him as they flew over the city.

* * *

Zane, Kai, and Nya arrived at the library gates just as the Call to Reflection began. The statue Zane spoke of, the featureless angel, was as haunting as ever in the echoes of the Call. Nya could feel what he described; A trembling to the core, like her bones weakened in its presence. It was an unpleasant feeling, one she didn’t want to experience for long. And yet, it felt familiar.

Kai broke the silence, “Why do I have a sudden craving for Chen’s Noodles?”

Zane placed a hand on the statue’s base. It was a bright, ivory color, no different from the stone used in the towers and buildings and palace walls.

“It’s ordinary marble,” he remarked, brow furrowed. “I do not understand. How can something so common have such an effect?”

Nya placed a hand on it as well, circling the statue, feeling the smooth stone underneath her fingertips. The vibrations in her bones grew stronger, and a migraine came over her. She winced in pain.

A crack in the stone base let out a copper shine that caught Kai’s eye. He squatted down to take a closer look.

“Guys, I think there’s something _inside_ the statue.” He squinted, trying to get a better look, but the migraine hit him too.

At that moment, the Call finished, and the scribe who took care of the library appeared at the top of the stairs.

“You!”

He pointed at the three of them.

“You shouldn’t be here!” He boomed, “You must leave!”

Zane protested, “But - “

“ _Now!_ ”

Zane hesitated to move. Just the other day, the scribe was welcoming him, soft-spoken and kind. The others gladly fled, but he stayed behind, reluctant to leave without an answer. Kai turned back and grabbed his arm.

It didn’t escape Zane’s notice that the old man seemed ill at ease. His eyes darted around, as if he thought he was being watched. His frightened demeanor did not match his stern warning.

“ **Never** return!”

* * *

Jay looked to the sky after dropping off the last of the laundry. It was another impossibly sunny day, perfectly temperate, not too humid or dry. He felt that this slice of heaven would be his personal hell, without rain to dance in or storms to chase. The sun didn’t even beat down on him, though it was high noon.

Whatever. As long as he didn’t have to live here.

“ _Alčak!_ ”

The old florist called out to him, waving her hands to get his attention. He sighed and walked up to greet her.

“I _told_ you,” he tried to sound as patient as possible, “My _name_ is **Jay**.”

“Oh _alčak_ , I’m so glad I caught you.” She wore a harried look, “I need your help.”

He raised his eyebrows, “Oh?”

She hobbled back into her shoppe, and he followed close behind. Inside, large bouquets of sweet smelling blooms lined the walls, hiding any glimpse of stone behind them. Some of the flowers were even as large as his head. She opened the door behind the counter, which led into her personal garden.

It was quite clearly where she grew her wares. Each planter box was carefully organized and labelled. The flower stalks grew as tall as the walls, reaching up to the skies for sunlight.

In the middle stood a statue of a woman tipping a pitcher. Markings on the inside of the pitcher and at the base of the statue suggested it was meant to be a fountain, but no water came out of it.

“You Shintaro people sure like your gardens and statues,” Jay muttered to himself, unaware the old woman could hear him.

She chuckled and handed him a large bucket, “The statues protect us from the _witch_ , you know.” She looked around for another bucket, and the pole to carry them with. “You _Ninjago City people_ could use some nature, yourselves! Does good for one’s soul.”

She hummed an unfamiliar tune as she searched for the other bucket. Jay blinked.

“Wait, hold on - Did you say a _witch_ \- ”

She ignored his question and handed him the rest of the apparatus. “Now, please go to the palace gardens and fetch some water from the river that flows there. My plants are desperate!”

Jay paused, holding the buckets and pole in a jumbled mess in his arms. He looked at the statue. The pitcher bore a light brown line, down the center, through the spout. It was dried up, but it was definitely a water stain. “Why? What’s wrong with your fountain?” He inquired.

“What fountain?”

He gestured to the statue as best as he could under the weight of the buckets. She glanced at it, then gave him a quizzical look.

Before he could explain further, she shooed him back through the shoppe, and sent him on his way down the road again. He leaned his wrists on the pole across his shoulders. The wind picked up and blew jasmine petals in his face. He shook them off as best he could.

* * *

Cole stuck the landing with surprising grace. The gardens were empty; the King had decreed them off limits to the public until the day of the ceremony. They landed among the palace orchard, under the cover of thick-leaved trees.

Vanja took the brown hooded robe and the wings and stashed them under a stone nearby. They walked quickly through the gardens, making their way back to the palace.

“I can’t be late for my rehearsal,” she warned, picking up the pace.

“I _knew_ it!”

“Huh?”

“N-Nothing.”

The two of them entered through the servant’s quarters, where everyone was hard at work preparing food for the feast. Vanja greeted and chatted casually with some of the servants, even as she hustled by. An old man, a chef presumably, quickly handed her a sweet and winked. She happily took it and hid it in a pocket inside her robe. She grabbed another from the tray and held it out to Cole as they hurried up the stairs.

_My body is a temple my body is a temple my body is a temple my body is a temple -_

He put up his hand to politely reject it, “Uh, no thanks, I’m kind of on a health kick.”

She shrugged and ate the pastry, clearly enjoying the sweet taste. He immediately regretted it.

They made it to the ballroom without incident. She was ushered into the adjacent dressing room by frantic servants, to prepare her makeup and costume. Cole, who preferred not to take any chances, insisted his way into the room as well.

She looked at him, bemused. “I doubt anyone would attack an oversized closet.”

“No more surprises,” he reminded her. He remained steadfast.

The servants begrudgingly allowed him to stand near the door, out of their way. He leaned against the wall and watched as they got to work mixing pigments. Behind a partition, a handmaiden was assisting Vanja with her costume. He could hear the two of them conversing and giggling.

“Did you ever find out why he did it?” Vanja asked her in a low voice.

“No!” The handmaiden replied, on the cusp of roaring laughter, “He just told me it belonged to a dead relative.”

The white satin robe Vanja always wore was thrown over the top of the partition. He tried to look away.

He tried not to think about her.

“And you _believed_ him?!”

  
  
He heard coins jingling and fabric swishing. They laughed together and spoke of people and events he couldn’t parse. It was the second time today he felt so alien. He wanted to be closer to her.

Soon she had finished changing, and sat in front of the vanity to prepare her makeup. She could see Cole in the reflection. They locked eyes in the mirror. She wasn’t sure how he felt, but nevertheless, she was warmed by his presence.

He watched as she applied her makeup, brushing a layer of rouge onto her lips. His eyes wandered in search of anything that could be a potential threat. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

_Thump!_

Vanja had suddenly fallen over onto the vanity, knocking over the pigment jars in the process. The servants shrieked in surprise, and Cole had to shove through them to get to her.

He moved without hesitation. First he checked her pulse; Still beating, but slow. Her breathing was shallow and sharp. Temperature rising.

He scooped her up bridal-style and informed the servants matter-of-factly, “The princess has been poisoned.”

They became frightened, huddling together away from the vanity where she had sat. They worried about who would be blamed, and who else may be tainted. They talked amongst themselves about how to inform the King.

The handmaiden who helped Vanja dress earlier ran over to Cole and whispered, “Take her to Hamza. He will help.”

Cole furrowed his brow, “Shouldn’t I take her to King Vangelis -”

“- No, please!” The handmaiden shook her head and shushed him. She placed a worried hand on Vanja’s cheek, then looked at Cole, tears forming in her eyes, “You are the _Son of the Savior_ . You **must** understand. _The king cannot be trusted_.”

He _didn’t_ understand, but he also didn’t have time to ask questions. So he agreed.

She gave him directions to find Hamza, down the alley they visited earlier that day. He opened a window, climbed down the trellis, and ran as fast as he could down the main road.

* * *

The townspeople gasped in alarm as they saw Cole speed by, carrying the comatose princess in his arms. He couldn’t stop and think about secrecy. Vanja could yell at him later. The sound of coins jingling with every step reminded him to hurry. 

He looked down at her face as often as he looked ahead on the road; Equally worried about tripping as he was about her light fading. Her already pale complexion was becoming a ghostly pallor, her lips hinting blue.

“Come on…” He muttered, picking up the pace, “Stay with me _habibi_.”

He turned down the alleyway and ran the directions through his head. _Left…No, right… Was it…. ?_

Behind him he heard the _woosh_ of winged guards, and the hurried clattering of armor. _Shit_. That wasn’t a good sign.

“Search every crevice, men! He can’t have gone far!”

_The fence… Climb the fence…!_

He put Vanja on his back and climbed over a wooden fence, remembering the handmaiden’s instructions.

_Past the streetlamps, look for an ivy-covered gate._

Every piece of overgrown ivy caused him to stop and investigate. Walls, trellises, overgrown buildings. At last, he found the hidden gate, and knocked desperately.

“Come on, come on, come on…” He muttered again, ready to leap through the doorway.

No answer came. The sounds of guardsmen drew closer, so he gently placed Vanja on the ground for a moment, summoned all of his strength, and the veins in his dark black arms shone with bright orange light.

Then he _ripped_ the iron gate off of its hinges and tossed it aside like it was nothing.

He carried her to the bench in the garden as gently as he could, cradling her head. Hamza appeared, along with several others, through a passage in the wall. He rushed over as soon as he saw Vanja, pale and blue. The others gawked at Cole’s power, until Hamza instructed them to quickly repair the gate before they could be discovered.

Cole stood there, huffing, puffing, and radiating raw earth energy. He resembled a mountain, crackling with magma. His amber eyes were on fire now, and the copper running through the statue glowed in the same pattern as his veins. But he couldn’t be distracted now.

“I think she was poisoned,” Cole informed Hamza, “A handmaiden told me I should bring her here.”

Hamza brushed Vanja’s hair out of her face. “How did it happen?”

Cole felt ashamed that whatever caused this had avoided his watchful eye. “I’m… not sure. She was applying her rouge, when suddenly...”

Hamza looked over her and came to a realization. He cupped the back of her head, held her pendant in his hand, and kissed her on the lips.

“Are you serious?!” Cole protested rather hotly. His emotional barriers were drastically weakened in this high-energy state. The orange glow grew brighter and hotter. “Is this _really_ the time?! She needs **medical attention!** ”

Hamza, unfazed by Cole’s anger, pulled away slowly, stopping only inches from Vanja’s face. 

The color was rushing back to her cheeks and her lips. Her chest rose and fell with deeper, stronger breaths. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she gasped for air.

“Cole...”

She could barely heave his name out, and he instantly fell to his knees next to the bench. The light that had been coursing through his veins dimmed. All of the tension he held in his shoulders released, and he leaned over her to check her vital signs. His hair brushed her collarbone as he put his ear to her chest, listening to her heartbeat.

He turned to Hamza, who seemed just as relieved as he was. He couldn’t think of what to say.

All he could muster was a weak, “Thank you.”

* * *

The street was a chaotic mess, as panicked onlookers watched the winged guards search every building in their search for the princess. Jay set down his shoulder pole to squeeze through the crowd.

Someone suddenly yanked him forward and shouted, “I got one! Captain Hailmar, I got one of the outsiders!”

“Hey what the - _Lemme go_!” Jay tried to shake out of the man’s grip, but the crowd became too tight around them. The pole and buckets clattered to the ground, and he found himself shoved before the captain, surrounded by a hostile mob.

“Arrest him!”

“Ask him where they are!”

“I bet he knows where the princess is! _Alčake_ all stick together!”

“You can’t trust outsiders!”

The captain loomed over Jay, who was held down onto his knees in the street by multiple townspeople. Jay was shouting, _demanding_ to know what was going on, but their collective outrage drowned him out, and he watched, helpless, as the shoppe owners and citizens he had grown close with over the past few days treated him like _public enemy number one_.

Or at least, _public enemy number one’_ s accomplice.

Captain Hailmar looked down at Jay with contempt. “Tell us where your friend took Princess Vanja,” he commanded.

“Oh _sure_ , I’d _love_ to,” Jay dripped with sarcasm, trying unsuccessfully to wriggle free, “Just as soon as you tell me **WHAT’S GOING ON HERE!** ”

The captain beckoned two of his officers over and instructed them, “Lock him up.”

Jay shot Captain Hailmar a dirty look as the officers stood him up. They dragged him through the cheering crowd, kicking away the buckets he dropped. He’d never felt such betrayal. He kicked and screamed and struggled the whole way to the palace.

Captain Hailmar looked on until they were out of sight, and sighed.

“Keep searching men! We cannot rest until we know the princess is safe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At some point once this wraps up, I'll rework and re-edit it as I see fit. Specifically, if it gets too contrived or heavy on parts I don't think are necessary, I'll work on those. For now, enjoy the first draft of this ever-expanding tale that strays further and further from its original source, but I hope you still find it entertaining and intriguing.
> 
> You may have noticed I have updated the rating and tags/warnings. This is mostly for the direction I know this will go, which is darker, but may not appear so for a few more chapters until we get to the big day.


	7. Fugitive

Winged troops searched for the princess throughout the city for hours, to no avail. They caught and arrested most of the outsiders, save for the one seen taking the princess. And soon the sun would be setting.

Captain Hailmar became increasingly worried. None of the other outsiders seemed to know where Cole could’ve taken Princess Vanja. There was no sign of her anywhere.

The streets were quieter, but only as citizens prepared for nightfall. They returned home to gather what they could to make torches to see, meals to feed the search parties, and any medical supplies in case they found the princess injured. The decorations everyone spent the day putting together felt gray and dulled in her absence. Jasmine petals mixed with the confetti that was knocked into the street in their careless hurry. The wind moved them along, piece by piece.

The captain took off his helmet and ran his fingers through his hair. He could only hope this was all a misunderstanding.

The old florist woman shuffled down the street and gasped when she saw her apparatus strewn across the road. 

“Hjalmar!” She yelled, foregoing the light-hearted nickname she called him just that morning. He recoiled. She was clearly upset.

“Hjalmar,” she repeated as she approached him, “Where is the  _ alčake? _ ” She pointed to the buckets, “I sent him to get water for my plants hours ago!”

He put his helmet back on and adjusted it. “He is being questioned in the disappearance of Princess Vanja.”

She smacked his pauldron, causing him to grimace.

“Fool!” She berated, “Have you forgotten about the  _ witch _ ?! She who takes the young,  _ deep _ into the mountain, never to be seen again?! Can you not even protect  _ Shintaro’s princess _ from such a fate?!”

He looked at her with wide eyes.

“Have you forgotten that  **_you_ ** were taken once,  _ Hjalmy _ ?” She stared him down.

He puffed up his chest, “We have  _ witnesses _ that report seeing the Earth elemental carrying the princess away from the palace, into the city. I hardly think an old legend about a  _ witch _ explains  **that** .”

She spat, “ _ Pah! _ You will waste your time chasing  _ alčake _ , when the real threat comes from  _ within _ the kingdom.”

Her words gave him pause. She bent down to pick up her buckets and pole, when he stopped her.

“Please,” he gently took the apparatus from the ground and mounted it on his shoulders, “Allow me.”

“Well, at least you can still be  _ useful _ .”

* * *

Kai walked from one end of his cell to the other, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. His footsteps echoed off the stone walls of the palace dungeon, ringing in his ears and just making him angrier. Nya was slumped against the back wall of their shared cell with her eyes closed and her chin up.

“Could you  _ please _ stop pacing?” She begged, exasperated. “You’re making me nauseous.”

He grabbed the bars of the cell and screamed, “This is total bullshit!”

“No  **DUH** ,” came Jay’s voice from the cell next door. Zane stepped over Jay’s legs, inspecting the walls brick by brick. Jay was too busy drawing shapes in the dirt floor to help him.

Zane paused. “Do you… really think Cole may have kidnapped Princess Vanja?”

A heavy silence fell over them.

“No way,” Kai replied with confidence, “There’s gotta be a reasonable explanation.”

“The guardsmen said he was seen carrying her through the street,  _ comatose _ ,” Jay pointed out.

Kai scoffed, “That doesn’t mean anything!”

“Maybe we’re not getting the whole picture…” Nya pondered, standing up. She joined Kai at the bars to speak to the others. “What if she was in trouble?”

“Then why run  _ away _ from the palace?” Jay argued, “Doesn’t make any sense.”

Silence again.

“Man,” Jay lamented, throwing his dirt-drawing stick across the cell. “I wish that old fart worried less about witches and repaired her stupid fountain. I wouldn’t have been caught by Captain Asshole otherwise!”

Zane turned to him curiously and asked, “Did you just say  _ witches _ ?”

Jay frowned, “The lady I was helping said something about how the statues protect them from some witch, I dunno.”

“Hmm,” hummed Zane, deep in thought. “I read a local legend about a witch the other night.”

The others stopped their bickering to listen. He cleared his throat.

“W-well, I don’t remember much of it, really,” he stammered. “But they say a witch has lived inside the mountain, since the beginning of Ninjago. After Shintaro was built on top of her lair, she would steal their children away in retaliation.”

“That’s awful,” Nya commented.

Kai brushed it off, “It’s only a story.” 

Zane tapped his chin. “I’ll try to get in contact with PIXAL again. Maybe the legend is connected to why the statues make us ill.

“Speaking of being ill,” Jay groaned, rubbing his temple, “I’ve had a headache since we got here.”

Kai rolled his eyes, forgetting that Jay couldn’t see him, “We get it dude, it sucks to be arrested.”

“No you dumbass, it’s not from getting arrested!”

“Sure you didn’t get thrown in here headfirst?”

“The more  _ you _ talk, the  **_worse_ ** _ it _ **_GETS!_ ** ”

Nya tuned them both out and laid down on the floor of her shared cell with Kai. She put her scarf up over her eyes, eager to nap off her  _ own _ headache. She had to scoot away from the walls, however; Somehow they made it hurt worse.

* * *

Once Vanja had regained some strength, she sat up on the bench. Hamza brought her a cup of water and helped bring it to her lips to drink from. She gladly took it.

Cole was sitting in front of the statue with his legs crossed. The grass was still and tall. This secret, enclosed garden could be no larger than the deck of The Bounty, and yet the statue filled the space. The sun was low, with only a few rays filtered in through the moss growing on the glass dome. It cast an eerie light on the statue, the kind of rays that dust dance and sparkle in.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of it. The face was featureless, but there was no doubt in his mind who the statue represented. The black onyx shaped a woman  _ deeply _ engraved in his memory. Every curve and cut, the bumps of her curly hair assembled into a high bun, the angles of her wrists as she crossed two swords in a fearsome warrior’s stance, he knew intimately. Someone even carved the armor plate his grandfather made for her; The one hanging above the mantle, in his father’s home, in her honor.

He spoke without taking his gaze off the statue. “Is this... my  _ mother _ ?”

“We have been meaning to speak to you about this matter,” Vanja admitted, rather sheepishly.

He placed a hand on the stone. The copper that ran through the onyx lit up from the point of contact outward.

“ _ We…? _ ” he started asking, almost trance-like. He looked up to see the copper trace the same pattern as his own veins. The only piece that couldn’t be mirrored was the large scar that ran through his left eye.

“Cole…  **Cole!** ”

He blinked slowly, and looked over to see Vanja calling his name. He reached up to his scar and felt a sticky liquid. Blood.

Hamza and Vanja rushed over to stabilize him. Hamza led them to the door in the wall, and they carried Cole down the narrow staircase into the cave below.

Vanja shouted down ahead, “Prepare first aid, and a cot!” The sounds of shuffling footsteps and clanging of supplies soon followed. She turned her attention to Hamza, “Do what you can.” He nodded.

They sat Cole on a cot, and some of the others brought a pan of alcohol with a cloth. Vanja took the cloth and dabbed at his scar. It burned with a white-hot pain, one that made him feel as though his head would split at any moment. He did his best to keep calm and still, but inside he wanted to scream.

“Jeez,” he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, “First you, now me.”

Despite their best efforts, the blood kept coming. Vanja took off her necklace and handed it to Hamza. He gripped the pendant in his fist, seemingly nervous. He looked at Cole with pleading eyes.

“I will attempt to heal you. Please do not be alarmed.”

“Why would I be alar- **_mfh_ ** _! _ “

Hamza’s lips met his, and suddenly his mouth was filled with the taste of  _ peaches _ .

* * *

Lloyd woke up to the sound of armor marching down the hall. He peeked out of his door to see Captain Hailmar, apparently returning from a patrol with his guardsmen.

The captain bowed to someone outside of Lloyd’s field of vision.

“No sign of the princess yet, Your Majesty.”

Lloyd opened the door a little wider. King Vangelis walked down the stairwell towards his troops.

“Thank you, Hjalmar, but We are not worried,” Lloyd heard the king say. “It will be dark soon, and We have a feeling she will return home of her own accord.”

The captain looked confused, “But, sir, the kidnapper has not been located.”

Alarm bells went off in Lloyd’s head. The princess, kidnapped?

The king eyed Lloyd’s open door, and Lloyd closed it in a panic. The king smirked at this.

“Perhaps the other  _ alčake _ can give Us some answers.”

Lloyd knew that word referred to outsiders, but he couldn’t fathom why he or his friends would know anything about a kidnapping. Then again, he hadn’t seen any of the others all day, sleeping like a log in his room. What had he missed?

* * *

_ “This is the temple, my child.” _

_ Cole blinked, his sight gradually clearing. He stood behind a strange man, in a place he’d never been to. His vision was still too blurry to make out the details, but wherever they were, it was cavernous, closed in, and poorly lit. _

_ The man’s words echoed, “When your time comes, you will train here. As your forebears did before you.” _

_ Cole found himself nodding.  _

_ Then a young girl’s voice spoke, “Yes, Father.” _

_ But the girl’s voice came from Cole’s lips, and suddenly he realized he was not himself at all.  _

_ The man turned to Cole, and he recognized him as his grandfather. When he tried to reach out to touch his grandfather’s face, his vision suddenly distorted again. The colors dulled, the lines faded, and everything went to black. _

* * *

Sensei Wu stormed into the throne room of the royal palace at breakneck speed, shoving his way past the armed guards who stood at the door.

“Ah, Sensei,” King Vangelis welcomed him, in a sickly sweet tone, atop his throne.

Wu marched right up to him, infuriated, but the king did not seem frightened in the least. He motioned for his guards to stand down and let the old man speak his piece.

Wu could barely spit out a coherent sentence, “You have  _ some _ _ nerve _ \-  _ You _ \- Why, you invite us here - And-and-and, you  _ lock up _ my students -  _ Why _ would -  _ Who _ \-  **How** **_DARE_ ** **you accuse them of KIDNAPPING your** **_daughter!!!_ ** ”

The throne room fell silent, and his panting echoed as he tried to catch his breath. The king, who had been leaning on one elbow, tapped his cheek.

“Are you  _ quite _ finished?”

Wu huffed some more. He tried to deepen his breathing to calm himself. The face of the king, somewhere between bemused and slightly irritated, stared him down.

The king stood up from his throne and stepped down, brushing lightly past Wu, “Come,” he instructed. The sensei, bewildered, complied.

King Vangelis and Sensei Wu walked back into the hallway together. They shuffled down the main staircase, the king always a few steps ahead of Wu. The guards stayed behind. Wu didn’t like that.

The king rounded a corner to reach the last staircase when he spoke up. “Tell Us, Sensei,” he glanced over his shoulder at Wu, who was trying to keep pace, “Do your teachings not include  _ patience _ , and  _ level-headedness _ ?”

The question made Wu feel ashamed of his earlier conduct. At the same time, he felt that his reaction was justified.

“Please, Your Highness,” he inquired of the king, sure to keep his tone submissive this time. “Where are my students?”

The king did not answer right away.

They turned down ever more winding, smaller halls. As they approached an unassuming door, one of many in the hall identical to it, the king pulled the handle and revealed a narrow staircase leading below the palace. He turned to Wu with a serious expression.

“You were close friends with the previous elemental masters, were you not?” The king asked.

Wu answered, thoughtfully, “Yes, some of them, I suppose.”

“Hm.”

The king grabbed a torch and led the way down the dark, winding staircase. Their voices and footsteps echoed off the black stone.

“Why do you ask, Your Highness?”

“It is nothing. We are simply curious.”

At last they came upon a dungeon door, guarded by two sentries. Footsoldiers, they bore much heavier armor than their winged counterparts, and stood several heads taller. They stepped aside at the king’s arrival.

King Vangelis gestured for Wu to step into the dungeon hall first, then followed behind. “ _ Here _ are your students.”

Kai, who had been resting his head on the bars, perked up at the voice. He looked around to see Wu rushing over to him and grabbing at his face.

“What the -  _ Sensei! _ ” Kai complained.

“Hush, boy,” Wu instructed, pulling at Kai’s eyelids, cheeks, tongue, ears, and anything else he could reach to inspect for damage. 

“We’re fine, Sensei,” Kai squirmed and managed to break free. “ _ Seriously. _ ” He glanced at the king, who stood behind Wu.

Wu peered around, “What about the others?”

Kai moved to show his sensei that Nya was lying behind him, and nodded to the next cell over. “Asleep. Only ones unaccounted for are Lloyd and Cole.”

“The Green Ninja has not left his room,” the king informed them, “Therefore Our guards do not suspect  _ his _ involvement.”

Wu whipped around to face the king, fury returning to his cheeks. “And just who  _ do _ you suspect?  _ Cole? _ ”

“They keep asking us if we know where he is,” Kai piped up, sharing his sensei’s ire.

The king sauntered past Wu to stand closer to the cell. Kai thought it a poor move; Not much was stopping him from angrily reaching through the bars and -

“Gentlemen,” the king addressed them both in a calm manner, “Until Our daughter returns, We  _ must _ ask for your  _ complete _ cooperation. We are hopeful this is simply a misunderstanding.”

He looked at Wu.

“You have no reason to suspect the Earth Ninja of doing anything…  _ rash _ , do you?”

“I - That is to say - No, Your Highness.”

The king sneered and walked back to the door. Wu couldn’t think properly, himself. He was starting to get a throbbing headache.

* * *

\-  _ Mom! _

Cole gasped awake, soaked in sweat. He was still sitting on the cot, Hamza’s face inches from his. His saliva tasted like peaches, and he was starting to get sick of it.

“You blacked out for a few seconds there.” Vanja put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, “Don’t worry, that’s normal.”

Cole looked up at her, incredulously. “Normal?”

She delicately brushed away the wet hair that started clinging to his scar again. “Looks like the bleeding stopped. Do you feel any better?”

“I feel like I just took a beating,” he replied. He held his head in his hands, trying to stop the pounding in his ears. “Haven’t felt this awful since the time my dad took me to karaoke.”

Vanja tried to stifle a giggle. He beamed at her.

The cave was empty but for the three of them. Everyone else had gone, Hamza informed Cole, deeper into the mountain. The garden was in danger of being discovered in the palace’s search. It would only be a matter of time before  _ this _ safe haven was as well.

Hamza began packing supplies to take to the new hideaway. Vanja stood Cole up and walked him over towards the stairs with her, before she turned to him and held his hands gently.

“I must return to the palace,” she explained. She looked up at him with a serious expression in her violet eyes.

“Okay! Just as soon as I’m feeling a little less woozy, we can head out.”

“No,” she was firm on this matter, “It isn’t safe for you there.”

He furrowed his brow, “But, I’m supposed to guard you. I’m sure if we return together we can clear up the whole misunderstanding.”

She shook her head, “You  _ cannot _ . This is no simple matter.” She let out a frustrated sigh, “There are things at play that you are not privy to.”

“So? Privy me.”

She chuckled. For a moment, she was the lighthearted Vanja from the first day he met her. Then she cleared her throat, and became serious again.

“I must confess something to you,” she looked in his eyes, “And I must do it quickly. Hamza and the others can give you more details.”

He returned her gaze; Silent affirmation that he was ready to listen.

She began, “The coup, it’s not what they told you it is. In truth,  _ my father _ is the one who is a danger to my life. He is the one who has been sending assassins after me.”

He felt like he had returned to square one: confused, and ignorant. “I don’t understand.“

“He is the one who poisoned me. It is because…” She took a deep breath, eyes watery, “ **_I_ ** am the one leading the citizens to revolt. I am his biggest threat.”

Cole couldn’t say anything at first. He instinctively raised a hand to dry her eyes, but no tears had fallen. She was doing her best not to let the dam break.

“He is a liar and a tyrant. He disappears those who would leave the kingdom. He forces our people to ration and starve while  _ we _ eat heartily in the palace. We have no trade agreements, yet he accumulates more wealth by the day. I have been investigating him, and I can’t be sure, but I believe he is up to something sinister.”

“If he’s that dangerous, then why can’t I go with you to protect you?”

“Because! He will twist the truth and blame you for my disappearance. He will make a show of concern for my safety and have you  _ executed!  _ He will do anything to diminish my spirit and keep our people under his boot. Please, you are only safe if you stay inside the mountain. Just until the day of the coronation.  _ Then _ I will have the power to grant you sanctuary.”

She braced herself for more resistance, but to her surprise, he relented.

“Well...  _ Whatever’s  _ going on,” he spoke slowly, “I’ll trust you,  _ habibi _ . I’ll stay out of the palace for now.”

She let go of his hands and started up the stairs, “Good. I have already been gone too long.”

“Wait!” He grabbed her wrist and stopped her, a bit more aggressively than he would have liked, “When can I see you again?”

She turned to him and felt the pressure mounting to return before dark. “I - I do not know, uh - Tonight! Midnight, in the garden. At the gazebo from the first night.”

She bent forward from the step above and placed a hurried kiss on his forehead, then slipped from his grip and ran up the stairs, coins jingling.

“I’ll be there!” He called up after her. Soon the sound of coins and footsteps faded, and he was alone in the cave with Hamza, who had finished packing supplies.

“Ready?” Asked Hamza, arms full of boxes.

Cole hesitated, then bent down to pick up the rest of the supplies.

“Ready.”


	8. Viva La Revolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any deviation in formatting; I switched from Google Docs to Scrivener and I think it messed up the line spacing.  
> Also I put in the 5 lines with the word "know" in a row on purpose. Alliteration!

As he was combing his hair, Lloyd heard the door to his bedroom open, slowly, behind him. He turned and saw Wu, lingering in the doorway.

“Yes, Uncle?” He asked.

Wu responded, “I just came to check on you Lloyd.” He looked concerned, “Did you _really_ sleep the day away?”

Lloyd continued combing, somewhat indignantly. “I was up all night. I…” he trailed off.

His uncle waited. Lloyd was never a very good liar.

“... I was helping with the preparations for the ball,” he finished.

The tension made them feel miles apart. Lloyd could not tell his uncle about his task, and Wu did not want to push him. He put his comb down on the vanity. His uncle knew that meant the conversation was done.

Wu conceded. “OK, Lloyd. You know where to find me, if you wanna talk.”

He turned out of the doorway and walked away. Lloyd, in a cold sweat, stood from the vanity and ran out after his uncle, his emerald green robe sweeping the floor behind him.

Downstairs, the palace doors swung open. Wu peeked over the railing to witness a guard shout for a servant. Lloyd peeked over as well, and two more guards walked in, Vanja between them.

“ **Princess!** ” Wu exclaimed, running down the stairs with Lloyd trailing after him.

She didn’t respond. A servant returned with King Vangelis, who ran up to Vanja and tightly embraced her. She was stiff, hardly returning the hug.

“Our daughter, you’ve returned!” The king cried out.

She tried to break free of his aggressive grasp, to no avail. “Yes, father. I’m fine.”

“Where is Cole?” Wu asked.

Without giving her a chance to answer, the king let go of her and motioned for his guards. “Our daughter, you must be exhausted from your ordeal!”

She protested, “But - “

“ - Captain Hailmar, escort the Princess to her room.” King Vangelis ordered. Hailmar came over and took Vanja from the other guards. “See that she is _secured_ from any _further_ harm.”

The captain walked Vanja up the staircase. The king dismissed the other guards and servants to return to their duties. Wu stood in front of the king.

“ **Now** will you release my students?!” He demanded.

Lloyd turned to his uncle, concerned, “What’s going on here? Cole is missing and the others are locked up?!” He turned to the king to demand answers.

King Vangelis smirked. “ _We_ shall fill you in, Green Ninja. Guard,” he called out to a guardsman standing at the door, “Take the good Sensei down to the dungeon, and have the jailers release his students to him.” The guard bowed in acknowledgment and marched on down the hall. Wu hurried after him, leaving the king and Lloyd alone.

* * *

The tunnel into the mountain was long and arduous. Hamza and Cole walked, slid, and rappelled deeper into the caverns below. Cole did his best to memorize the route back. He’d need it for tonight.

Cole was the first to break the silence. “So… You a healer or something?” He asked awkwardly.

Hamza replied, “Yes, something like that.”

“And you heal by… kissing?”

“I must,” Hamza admitted, “It’s the only way it has worked. Did it bother you?” He asked, referring to earlier.

Cole immediately flushed red remembering, “No no! Not at all.” He sheepishly looked down, “I was just... curious.”

They proceeded down a narrow passage, squeezing one after the other.

“I have - _ungh_ \- I have always had the ability to heal others, for as long as I can remember,” he continued. “Though I have never known why.”

Cole frowned, “Didn’t your parents know?”

“I have never _known_ my parents.”

“Oh… I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

Hamza reached the other side of the narrow passage and squeezed out, then turned to give Cole a hand. He smiled and said, “You could not have known.”

They trekked on, past a roaring underground river. The noise was deafening. The river gleamed with color, and Cole realized that it was _brimming_ with brightly-scaled fish.

“Wow…” he murmured aloud.

They marched along up the river, and the roaring became thunderous. They must’ve been very deep down at this point, Cole wagered, as the cavern they entered was so spacious and large, it seemed that the _whole kingdom_ of Shintaro could fit in it, with room to spare. The path became a narrow ridge they would have to shimmy across; The fall was definitely fatal.

At the top of the river was a waterfall, fifty stories tall, where he could see more fish dropping at high speeds.

“What’s at the top?” Cole asked, not looking up for fear of losing his balance.

Hamza replied, “A glacier. It has been melting slowly over the years. I believe that heat vents near the drop cause it to melt.”

“Heat vents?”

“You know,” he explained, “From magma.”

They approached the waterfall, slowly and carefully. Behind the waterfall, Cole could see the faint outline of a cave entrance. Singing and music echoed from it.

As they approached the cave where the others had settled, Hamza ran in with a huge grin on his face, unbothered suddenly by the weight of the rations he carried. They cheered and applauded his arrival, as he hugged so many of them with fervor.

Cole entered behind him, putting his ration box down on a nearby table.

The cave was unlike anything he’d seen before. It was expertly carved, every inch of rock forming a perfect geometric dome. Lining the walls were statues, so tall he had to tilt his head back to see that they were of faceless people. Strange carvings glowed on the floor. All in the same black stone with copper veins he had seen before.

It’d been inhabited for much longer than the last cave. Colorful tents, hundreds of them, resembled a village. The shine from the copper veins provided so much light, it seemed as though it could be daylight. Campfire smoke escaped through a small opening at the top of the dome. The sound of metal grinding turned his attention to a group of blacksmiths in a nearby tent, hard at work sharpening and shaping all manner of weapons, as well as fish hooks, pickaxes, and other everyday items he didn’t see in Shintaro.

“There must be hundreds of people down here,” Cole muttered under his breath. 

In the very center of the cavern, towering above all, was a copy of the statue from the garden before, though ten times larger, and in front of it stood a wooden scaffold at her waist, looking over the tents below.

He was abruptly grabbed by the arm and taken up the stairs of the scaffold, Hamza trailing behind. The woman who pulled him upstairs placed him in the center front, at the railing. She then lit two torches on either side of the platform as people gathered below. He tried not to look down; It wasn’t vertigo, but the _sheer size of the crowd_ which terrified him.

Hamza stood beside him and addressed the crowd, his honey-sweet voice echoing in the cavern.

“Fellow _Lost Children!_ I bring you news from the surface.”

They cheered, and Cole felt a thousand eyes on him.

“The princess is safe, and continues her work. We will continue to support her from the shadows, until the day of the Debutante Ball.”

They cheered louder still. Cole began to realize he had been roped into something bigger than he ever anticipated.

“But first, I must introduce you,” Hamza stepped back and put a hand on Cole’s shoulder, “The _Son of the Savior_ has returned to help us, in our darkest hour!”

The cheering became thunderous, and Cole’s heart sank into his stomach. The pressure mounted, as he became acutely aware of the not-so-subtle metaphor of literally standing in his mother’s shadow, his frame silhouetted against her statue. He hoped he wasn’t expected to say anything. What _could_ he say? He didn’t understand everything, but he was starting to put the pieces together.

Hamza called them ‘Lost Children.’ They were citizens of Shintaro, a city famous in the rest of Ninjago as the closest one can get to angelic paradise, yet they must hide in a temple cavern deep below the surface. They spoke of saviors, biding their time until the ball, and of the princess’ work. He was warned of a coup brewing. Vanja told him not to trust the King.

This was the revolution.

* * *

“Finally!”

Kai was beyond ready to leave. The others, roused by his shouting, grumbled awake.

“Is it time to get questioned again?” Jay yawned.

“No,” came Sensei Wu’s voice, “The princess has returned. Everyone is free to go.”

“Can we be free to go _home_ to Ninjago City?” Kai sneered, “I think we’ve overstayed our welcome.”

Wu gave his student a stern look. “It was a simple misunderstanding. We must stay until the princess’ birthday. And besides,” he looked away and lowered his voice, “We mustn't leave without Cole.”

Nya, who had joined her brother in leaving the cell, stopped halfway through. “They still haven’t found him?”

In all his wisdom, Wu loathed being unable to have all the answers. He sighed, “They have not.” Then he lowered his voice so the guards couldn’t hear, “I need you four to find him. **Before** the palace guard does.”

“Is that the only reason you came to bail us out?” Jay asked, amused with himself.

Wu smacked him in the leg with his staff and continued his harsh whispers, “None of your wisecracks, _boy_. I’m worried about Cole. This could be _life or death_.” 

They silently marched behind their sensei, out of the dungeon, and back into the palace. 

Wu paused at the top of the stairs. The boys walked past and hurried up to their rooms, arguing and yelling with each other. Nya stopped next to Wu.

“Sensei…” She hesitated, “Cole _wouldn’t_ kidnap _anyone_.”

His face darkened, and he took a deep breath.

“I know.”

* * *

The princess’s room felt barren now. She sat on her balcony, put off by the empty space inside. The marble was cold. When did it no longer feel like _home?_

She looked down into the garden below. Whatever she hoped to see wasn’t there.

 _I hope this wasn’t a mistake,_ she thought.

Faint sounds of an argument came from outside her bedroom door. It sounded like the guard posted, and another, louder voice, raising in volume and cracking.

The door swung open and in marched Lloyd, eyes glowing green and steps long and quick. The guard jogged in after him, ordering him to stop.

“What have you done with him?!” Lloyd demanded, pinning a shocked Vanja to the wall. The guard moved quickly to grab him, but Vanja pushed Lloyd off before it escalated. Lloyd stumbled back a bit, every bit as enraged as he was sad.

She commanded the guard, “Leave us.”

“But, Princess -”

“I will _not_ repeat myself.”

The guard, taken aback by her unusually stern tone, complied. He left the room, closing the door slowly and reminding her that he was just outside if needed. She didn’t break eye contact with Lloyd the whole time.

Lloyd breathed, “The king told me what happened, and I don’t believe him for a second.”

Vanja’s eyes widened.

“I _know_ Cole,” he continued, “And he wouldn’t harm a fly.”

“If you would just let me explain - “

“You’ve got the whole kingdom out after him, demonizing us outsiders, practically giving my uncle a heart attack - What’s your _game_ here?”

“ _Game?_ ” She repeated, visibly upset. “There is no _‘game’_.” She had to shout after him as he turned swiftly, walking about the room in sharp and angry paces, “I’m **just** as worried about him as you are!”

He pointed a finger at her, “Don’t give me that **bullshit!** You’re the cause of all this,” he growled. “This would’ve never happened if he wasn’t so, so… _infatuated_ with you, if you didn’t _seduce_ him - ”

“ - That’s not fair!” She interjected. “You pass all these judgments on me, when you haven’t even _tried_ to get to know me!”

He scoffed. “All princesses are the same.” 

She slapped him, hard. Everything became eerily quiet. He cradled the cheek that she hit and looked at her, his eyes dim.

She seemed shocked by her own actions, and quickly moved to apologize. “I’m so sorry, Lloyd, I didn’t mean to - I was just - ”

He straightened himself up, and she cleared her throat.

“I know what happened with Harumi,” she spoke gently. “She fooled us all. Myself included.”

“ _Sure,_ ” he replied sarcastically.

“I’m serious,” she pleaded, reaching for his hand. He pulled it away and stepped back. “We’re more alike than you realize.”

“We are _nothing_ alike,” he sneered. “I’ll _find_ Cole, and stop whatever you’re up to. Mark my words.”

She frowned. He turned and walked out of her room with nothing left to say.

She shouted after him, “ **I loved her once too, you know!** ”

He paused in the doorway, but didn’t look back.

“I know... That you’re hurt,” she continued shakily, now that she finally had his attention, “And.. I know that my father will tell you things about me that scare you. But I’m _not Harumi_. All I ask is for you to give me a chance to _prove_ you can trust me.”

He didn’t reply for a long time. She weighed whether to say more or not. His shoulders rose with every breath, and it was difficult to tell whether he wanted to cry or punch a wall. Or both.

He finally answered, his voice quivering. “How _can_ I? Until I know Cole is safe?” He slowly turned his head, and she saw the tears streaming silently down his face. “How can I _trust you?_ ”

It was as though he was truly seeking an answer to his rhetorical question. As though he wanted, in his heart, to trust her, feel safe around her. Something was holding him back.

He left, eager to end the confrontation just as quickly as he’d started it. The guard peeked in to check on Vanja, who was sitting on the edge of her bed with her head in her hands.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

She sighed and ran her hands down her face. Then she put on a smile, “Yes, I’m perfectly fine. Thank you.”

The guard shrugged and closed her door again. She waited until he was gone before collapsing onto the bed with her arms splayed. Keeping so many secrets from so many people was _exhausting_. How could she expect to _protect_ everyone from her father and gain their trust at the same time?

She looked over at the clock on her bedside table. Almost midnight.

* * *

Cole was invited to sit in the largest tent, near the back, where Hamza and his comrades resided. It was wall-less, like all the others, just a canopy on poles. In the middle was a shisha, surrounded by cushions.

He nervously took his seat next to Hamza, who handed him a shisha pipe with a smile. He took it, feeling the prying eyes of everyone seated before him. Hamza introduced them one by one.

“This is Korgran,” he said, gesturing to the muscular man seated to Cole’s left. “He oversees militia training and blacksmithing.”

_Militia?_

“This is Adam, in charge of food supplies and rations, as well as medical aid.”

The man seated across from Cole grinned widely. He had an energetic demeanor that reminded Cole of Jay, somewhat. He tipped his pointed hat, “How do you do, _Son of the Savior?_ ”

“I wish everyone would stop calling me that,” Cole muttered nervously.

The woman seated next to Adam spoke up. Cole recognized her as the woman who pushed him up the stairs. “I am Murtessa,” she grunted. “I oversee all strategic maneuvers.”

“Yes,” Hamza chuckled, “We sometimes call her the Queen, as she is in charge of most everything.”

Murtessa seemed disinterested in continuing the conversation. She promptly stood and left, her expression a constant scowl.

Hamza leaned over to Cole and whispered, “Do not mind her. What she lacks in social grace, she _more_ than makes up for in military strategy.” He looked around suddenly, “Where is Plundar?”

Adam waved a flippant hand, “Off shooting dice, no doubt.” He took a hit of shisha and leaned forward towards Cole with a toothy smile. “Tell me, child. What did your mother tell you of her time in Shintaro?”

Cole scratched the back of his head. “Uh, well actually - ”

Hamza stopped him, “You better tell us later - Adam will drag the conversation forever if you get him started. You have to get going, if you are going to make your date.”

“Oh,” Cole looked at his watch, “Oh! Shit, you’re right.” He got up in a hurry, almost knocking over the shisha, to everyone’s amusement. “It was nice to uh, meet you guys! Gotta run.”

He made his way out of the tent, Hamza following behind. Adam watched as they left. Korgran stayed silent, arms crossed and eyes closed, as though lost in thought. 

“Ah, young people,” Adam sighed with a smile. “Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Reminds me of _my_ youth.”

Korgran raised a brow and opened an eye to glance at his friend.

“You are only 25.”

* * *

Hamza showed Cole another way out of the mountain. _It is good to have more than one opening, so you cannot become trapped,_ Hamza explained to him. It was a double-edged sword; There were so many false tunnels and passageways to throw off ne’er-do-wells, they ended up losing their own once in a while. As keen a tracker as he was, Cole was sure he’d be next.

The exit of this tunnel led straight to the palace gardens. _Not even the princess can know this path,_ Hamza explained further, as it could compromise everything if the palace witnessed her use it. Cole lifted the metal grate, the branches that lay on top rolling to the ground. He found himself in the palace’s hedge maze. He crawled out and carefully replaced the cover, sure to hide any evidence.

He’d have to find his way out of the hedge maze without being spotted by any night-time patrols. Winged units flew in formation over the gardens with searchlights. Palace guards paced the balconies and walls. Foot-soldiers made their rounds in the garden.

Should pose no problem for a skilled ninja.

* * *

Vanja was allowed to visit the garden only with an armed escort, so she scaled down the palace walls from her balcony, careful to avoid suspicion. A strategically placed trellis made the trip easier; She told her father last year she was ‘interested in growing bougainvillea.’

She made it to the gazebo undetected, where she found Cole waiting for her on the bench inside.

“Vanja,” his face lit up, and he stood to greet her.

She smiled back, “Cole!”

She ran up to him, his arms wide open, and they embraced.

The gazebo was well hidden among the shrubbery. It was unlikely to be searched. Still, sounds of rustling leaves and flashes of light made them both uneasy. They sat down together to converse.

“Shintaro is not as old as it seems,” Vanja began, restlessly kicking her legs. “Well, as a _people_ we are old, but actually, we only settled on this mountain some thirty-odd years ago. Before that, we were nomads.”

“Really? Everything here seems so…” Cole glanced at the jasmine-covered wall behind the gazebo, “ _Storied._ ”

A chilly night breeze blew through them. The moonlight crept through the lattice, throwing patterned shadows. Vanja jumped down from the bench and sauntered over to the archway, leaning on a wooden pole, her back turned to him. She seemed somewhat melancholy.

“The secrets of this mountain are as old as _Ninjago itself_ ,” she said in a low voice. “My father, who was not yet king, was on a journey to find a suitable settling ground, when he stumbled upon this land.”

She turned her head in his direction. “The _surface_ was uninhabited, but underneath… Underneath the soil, sophisticated tunnels were carved in the rock, with intricate carvings. My father described the stone as “black as the night”, with veins of an orange substance lighting the way through.”

She took a step towards him, wringing her hands. It was clear that she felt nervous speaking on this.

“My father discovered, in the deepest part of the center, a _temple,_ dedicated to the Earth Element. And there, he met a woman.”

Cole swallowed. “My mother.”

“She visited the temple to train, frequently,” Vanja continued, speaking faster, “And my father would watch her every chance he could. He was mesmerized by her. He _yearned_ for her.”

He seemed disgusted by the idea. She rolled her eyes.

“Your mother was young, once. _Human,_ too,” she reprimanded. She sat on the bench next to him, faced him cross-legged sideways, and continued. “But she spurned his advances. In retaliation, he foolishly called on the builders of our tribe to trap her in the mountain. They buried her alive in her own temple.”

Cole was downhearted. Though he knew his mother must have survived the ordeal, he felt every inch of himself suffocating under rubble, crushed by hopelessness. “How did she escape?”

“The only earthquake _ever recorded_ on this mountain occurred that day.”

He understood immediately. A release of immense power in a desperate situation. Though he himself never experienced it, it was one of the first things Wu taught him was possible.

Vanja looked down at her hands, fidgeting, “The builders only went along with the burial because they _believed_ my father when he told them she was a witch.”

Cole didn’t seem too comforted by this. He felt his chest tighten. The people of this kingdom almost murdered his mother? That facade of a peaceful people, loving and carefree, hiding a cold blooded superstition, a mob mentality; It rattled him.

He moved away from her. “How do you **know** all this?” He asked coldly.

“My mother told me!” Her tone became frantic and hurried. Every second he pulled away, she tried to close the gap. “She told me the truth, shortly before she died.”

She raised her voice to a dangerously loud whisper.

“Shortly before my father had her _killed!_ ”

He froze, beholden to violet eyes that were pleading for him to listen. He tentatively reached a hand to her shoulder.

He swallowed hard, “I’m… sorry.”

“Don’t you _see?_ ” She begged, inches from his face. “He will silence anyone who challenges his authority! He took this land from your ancestors and made himself king! He had my mother killed because she found out the truth.” She eased the tension in her shoulders a bit, “He does not know that she told me, but he is greatly suspicious. That is why all of my movements are so carefully guarded.” She held his hand in hers. “I risk execution just _speaking_ to you, here.”

He used a gentle finger to move a stray hair out of her face. He furrowed his brow, “Then... Why is he so eager to have you crowned Queen?”

She shook her head and collapsed onto the bench. “I do not know. That’s just it! I do not trust his motives.” She swung herself up again and leaned toward him. “I _do know_ this: Every night he leaves the palace. I do not know to where, or why. But he never seems tired, and never leaves the palace during the daytime.”

“Maybe he’s a vampire?”

“Be serious!” She protested. “What could a man, with everything he could want at his fingertips, gain from sneaking out at night? What if he is preparing to hurt me somehow?”

Cole nodded, serious this time, “I hear you. I’ll see if I can investigate.”

She was wide-eyed with worry.

“Don’t worry,” he flashed her a grin, “I’m a _ninja,_ remember?”

She relaxed, leaning against his chest and listening to his heartbeat. They looked at the stars through the lattice. Lights twinkled with every slight twist of the neck.

“You know,” she murmured so quietly under her breath, he almost didn’t hear her, “Every time I look at the stars, it feels like it could be my last night.”

He looked down at the top of her head, frowning, but he understood all too well.

“We’re never guaranteed tomorrow,” he remarked.

She shifted her weight so that she was fully supported by him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her close. Her breathing became deeper and slower, and soon she closed her eyes. He continued to watch the stars.

* * *

“It is time.”

Lloyd followed the King into the gardens for the second night in a row. With the increased guard presence, the King instructed Lloyd to stay close, and stay hidden. No one could know they were working together.

Once they came upon the grate, Lloyd realized the careful arrangement he left the branches in last night had been disturbed.

“Someone’s been through here,” he pointed out, crouching by the opening to inspect the soil for clues. “They seem to have covered their tracks.”

“Perhaps it was that _scoundrel,_ the Earth Elemental,” The King clenched his fists.

Lloyd quickly rose to his feet and objected, “ **No,** Your Highness! I mean, Cole is like _a brother_ to me. I know he would **never** do anything to hurt the Princess.”

The King seemed skeptical. “We wish for him to stand trial. _If_ he is innocent,” he smiled slyly, “Then there is nothing to worry about.”

Lloyd seemed placated, putting immense trust on the King’s own words. The justice system was sure to prevail.

They lowered themselves into the tunnel, Lloyd first to clear the way, and the King after him.

“We will start our search along the left side, tonight,” the King instructed. Lloyd nodded, and activated a power of his that caused his eyes to illuminate. He was in a trance-like state, running his hands along the tunnel walls, as if searching for something, the King following closely behind.

“If We do not find it soon, We fear _grave ramifications,_ ” The King warned ominously.

Lloyd and the King continued their search throughout the night.


	9. Red Rouge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to take a moment here to acknowledge the tragic passing of Kirby Morrow, who played Cole. While we may know him from only his VA talents, we should mourn Kirby Morrow the person, another that death has taken from us too soon. My heart goes out to his family and friends who are grieving. I hope he was able to live a fulfilling life, enjoying the time he had with the people he shared it with. Let's take this tragedy and turn our energy into acts of kindness, for strangers and familiar alike.

_Copper and black, swirling together in the walls, sculpted the shape of a warm and loving face, with a strong jaw, and a storied nose. Every step, every movement, brought with it a new feature. Tightly coiled hair. Wrinkled eyes. Sallowed cheeks._

_With her father’s face formed, the statue was finally complete. She dragged it out of the wall and into the circle to join the others. A representation of every past Earth Elemental, from the first ancestor to her father, stood watch over her now. All she needed to do was leave a space for her son to make one of her, when his time came._

_She swept the statue of her father into the middle of the temple, as was the customary funerary right. After her last breath, he should be returned to the circle, and she would replace him in the center, and so on and so forth. This tradition of the Earth Elemental had been passed down since the beginning of Ninjago. It was always thought their teachings would survive until the end of time._

_Now, she feared, they may end with her._

_She was startled by footsteps in the temple entrance. She whipped around into a defensive stance, bracing herself for a sneak attack, but it was only a little boy. She breathed a sigh of relief._

_“What are you doing down here, little one?” She asked, crouching down to the boy’s level as he shyly approached._

_He wouldn’t look up from his feet. “M-Miss Lilly… They said… you could help me…”_

_She tilted her head. “Who did, child?”_

_“Hjalmar… and the other children… Hjalmar said, that you know magic.”_

_She chuckled. “I think Hjalmar has misunderstood what an Elemental Master is.” She tried to get him to look up. “What is your name, little one?”_

_The boy, whose sandals were worn through the soles, clung to his tattered robe with all his strength as he struggled to answer._

_“H-Hamza.”_

_She smiled at him. "What a beautiful name. The name of a legendary warrior."_

_He finally looked up, inquisitive, "R-really?"_

_She nodded and welcomed him into the cavern. He suddenly opened up, yammering to her about his family, his life, his powers, his desires to grow and learn from her everything he could. She held a hand on his shoulder as they walked, nodding along intently._

_Out of the corner of her eye, a dark shadow moved._

* * *

Cole sprang up in his cot, sweating again. For a moment, when he opened his eyes to the pitch black of the tent, he wasn’t convinced he was awake. His eyes adjusted, and a small glow was visible through the crack in the tent flap. He opened it to reveal the temple, dimly lit by the copper veins that sparkled like constellations along the dome ceiling.

Just another dream, he supposed. Another dream of his _mother._

The inhabitants of the cavern normally woke up when daylight filtered in through the opening in the top, but that wasn’t until mid-day. And because it was mid-day, they awoke to the sound of the Call to Reflection. A man climbed the scaffold and roused everyone with his song. Instead of multiple voices shadowing each other, it was only one voice, wrapped in a dome of stone. To Cole, the Call felt more _personal,_ ringing closer in his ear than ever before, swallowing all other sounds. It felt _powerful._

The cave bore no jasmine-covered walls; Rather, everyone faced towards the center statue. This was in opposition to the aboveground, Cole thought, as the walls Vanja showed him surrounded the city.

After the Reflection, Cole assisted the meal tent in organizing the rations he and Hamza delivered the night before. There was plenty of food to go around, but potable water was running low. Adam suggested boiling down some of the river water outside.

Then he was pulled into the blacksmithing tent by Korgran, who wanted to fit him for new armor. It was to be fashioned after the plates his mother wore, which made Cole _uncomfortable,_ for some reason. He managed to slip away with some flimsy excuse, yet he had a feeling Korgran was not going to back down easily.

Later in the afternoon, Hamza took him to the camp’s medical tent. It was one of the longest ones, lined with cots and metal tables. In one corner sat a circle of armchairs, and in another, a scrubbing and sterilizing station.

“There are, as you may imagine, many wounds which I do not have the power to heal,” Hamza revealed to him. “Actually, the only thing I can truly cure is problems within one’s blood. Poisons, venoms, clots.”

Cole studied his new friend’s sullen face. “You healed _me,_ remember?”

Hamza pondered. “Yes, I suppose so. I still do not understand _how_ I managed to, but,” he smiled, “I am glad it worked, in the end.”

He sat in an armchair and assumed the pose of the ‘Thinker’. Cole browsed the tools sitting in a bowl of sterilizing solution. They were definitely modern. Steel and sharp, not at all what he imagined a cave-dweller's medical supplies to look like.

On a cot near the middle lay a woman with bandaging wrapped around her head. She began to groan, causing the aid worker on duty to pause inventory count and check her vitals. Her groaning swelled and shrunk, swelled and shrunk, swelled and shrunk, until she quieted, her chest rising and falling in deep breaths.

Cole walked over to Hamza and inquired, “What happened to her?” 

Hamza sighed, “No one knows. She was tasked with watching over the princess as a palace servant, but something happened. Plundar retrieved her in the middle of the night.”

“So, he wasn’t off shooting dice,” Cole realized. 

“Indeed,” Hamza murmured grimly. “We jumped to conclusions.”

The aid worker left the woman’s side to return to her duties. The woman was comatose, simply breathing, practically sedated.

A man Cole didn’t recognize ran in, heading straight to her side to check on her.

“Plundar,” Hamza called to him softly.

Plundar spoke in a harsh tone, to no one in particular. “She was found by another servant with ‘er face disfigured. Seemed like _someone_ tried to burn ‘er beyond recognition.” He peered over at Cole and Hamza. “She can’t speak ‘ta tell us who did it, but I think we have a pretty fuckin’ good idea who - ”

“ - We have been _through this_ already! We cannot make assumptions without _evidence,”_ Hamza countered. “It is dangerous. Not to mention it could imperil _everything_ we’ve built up to now!”

“All I’m sayin’ is we shouldn’t be using people like _pawns_ and sendin’ ‘em off to the **BUTCHER!”**

“She _knew_ the risks when she volunteered for the assignment!”

The tension in the tent hung over like a thick fog. Their glaring silence was disturbed only by the sounds of children playing nearby. Plundar stormed out of the tent in a huff. He reminded Cole of someone.

Hamza sighed, his face buried in his hands like any burdened leader’s. Cole could hear Plundar playfully kicking the ball with the children, just outside. Hamza looked in the same direction, “He is hot-headed, but his heart is gold. I just wish he would _listen.”_

“Yeah,” replied Cole, absentmindedly thinking of Kai, “I know what you mean.”

* * *

Kai sneezed.

“Y’okay bro?” asked Nya. Kai shook his head like a wet dog, having just stepped out of the shower. She shielded herself from the droplets, **“Dude!”**

He twitched his nose and sniffled a bit. “I dunno, feels like someone’s talking about me,” he replied.

She rolled her eyes and threw him a hair towel. “No one cares about you _that_ much,” she said sarcastically.

He stuck his tongue out, and she returned the favor. She was leaning against the bathroom counter, fully dressed and impatiently waiting for him. He took his sweet time, as usual. He toweled off his hair before applying argan oil to the ends, gently massaging the product in.

She lamented, “I could have gone out, found Cole, and returned us all to Ninjago City before you finish your beauty routine!”

“Just hold on…” Kai’s face was inches from the mirror as he checked his strands.

“You can’t be serious,” she countered, “You’re _way_ too chill right now, and it’s seriously getting on my last nerve!”

 _“Patience,”_ he whispered, “I’m not so hot-headed as to rush into things. I gotta get in the _zone.”_

 ** _“’Not so hot-headed?!’”_** She stressed every syllable in incredulity.

He clicked his tongue. “Does this look like a gray hair to you?”

“I don’t care if it’s _purple!_ Hurry the fuck up!”

Zane popped his head into the bathroom, “What’s all the yelling?” He spotted Kai, still wrapped in a towel, and shook his head in disbelief before leaving again.

“Wait - Zane, does this look like a gray hair?” Kai yelled after him.

Zane shouted back from the bedroom, “We’re leaving without you!”

“No - wait!” Kai scrambled to finish his routine. Nya drifted out of the bathroom too, chuckling to herself as Kai became desperate. “You _guys!”_

She rejoined the others in Kai’s bedroom. Jay was sitting on the edge of the bed. Zane stood at the balcony, wistfully watching the clouds that sat on the horizon line. It was another impossibly beautiful day. And that bothered him to no end.

She joined him outside, wind blowing in her hair. She leaned forward on the railing. “We’ll find him,” she reassured. She sounded confident, but Zane glimpsed a twinkle of fear in her eyes.

* * *

String music echoed throughout the halls of the palace. 

“No! Again!”

The sound of metal hitting tile reverberated.

“Sharper turns! Again!”

Leather shoes pounding, coins jingling, heavy breathing.

“Keep your head still! You are not a chicken! Again!”

The stringent instructor’s cries rang loudest of all. He repeatedly stopped Vanja’s performance, barking critique and breaking her focus. Her indignation was rising every minute, but she had to remember to keep her cool. This was a necessary sacrifice.

King Vangelis watched the rehearsal with rapt attention. Three times as many guards attended for increased security. Hjalmar, captain of the guard and the king’s most trusted servant, oversaw the perimeter of the ballroom from his post beside the throne.

The room was a bundle of high-strung nerves.

Beads of sweat rolled down Vanja’s face into her eyes, stinging. The instructor continued to snap at her, and she was losing concentration. The saber felt heavier than usual in her hand. Her grip was slick with sweat, causing the blade to twist.

“Steady your form!” The instructor bellowed, “Loose blades make for _quick_ coronations!”

She grit her teeth, firming her grasp on the handle. She swung once, twice, threw the saber in the air, twirled, reached out to catch it, when - 

_Clatter!_

The saber tumbled onto the floor. Vanja, exhausted, buckled at the knees, desperate to catch her breath. She knelt for a few moments before her instructor raised a hand and struck her.

**“Again!”**

Hjalmar immediately moved forward, but the king held out his arm to block him. The captain shot him a perturbed look. The king just smiled.

Vanja made no noise, nor did she flinch, when the hand made contact. She dutifully stood up again, her head held high, and raised her sword to begin the dance again.

King Vangelis lowered his arm. Hjalmar stepped back to his post, troubled. His brow was furrowed, his frown was worried, and his focus was less on the doors of the room and more on the people inside. His grip on his own weapon, standing like a staff, tightened.

* * *

After the rehearsal, Kai and Jay set out to do what they did best: create a diversion. They kept King Vangelis and Captain Hjalmar stalled in the hallway outside the ballroom by pretending to argue.

“Admit it! Admit you’re in love with my sister!” Kai shouted, shoving a finger in Jay’s chest.

The captain stepped in front of his King to assess the situation. King Vangelis let out a resigned sigh at the spectacle.

Jay dramatically smacked his hand away and retorted, “No way! She’s _definitely_ not my type.”

All of a sudden, Kai’s eyes widened, and his expression darkened. “What, she’s not **good enough** for you?!”

Hjalmar instructed the king to step back further behind him. Kai grabbed Jay by the collar of his robe and lifted him into the air, his legs dangling underneath him as he struggled.

 _“Kai!”_ Jay hissed, low enough so the others couldn’t hear, _“Kai, what the hell are you DOING?! This isn’t what we agreed on, dude!”_

“Should’a thought’a that ‘fore you dissed **my baby sister!”** Kai screamed. Jay squirmed as Kai balled a fist with his free hand.

Captain Hjalmar rushed forward to intervene, slicing Jay’s robe at the grip with the double-ended axe he carried with him, so that Kai was left clutching a piece of fabric in the wind. Jay fell to the floor, but before he could get up and thank his savior, Hjalmar split the axe into two blades and jammed one up to each ninja’s throat.

“Physical violence is _forbidden_ in the palace,” he firmly declared.

The two of them were speechless. He slowly took the two axe blades and refit them together by their ends.

“You would do well to remember your place,” King Vangelis added, with a satisfied smile. He swiftly turned around and walked away, down the hall. Hjalmar’s sneer did not change as he rejoined his master’s side.

Once they were out of sight, Jay, still rubbing his neck, spat at Kai.

 _“You asshole!”_ Jay could barely contain his rage, still hissing in hushed tones. _“What’s the matter with you?! You could’a **killed** me!”_

_“But I didn’t.”_

_“Wh - How does - **No!** That’s only because Hjalmar intervened!”_

_“Whatever. At least we bought the others enough time to make it out.”_

* * *

Zane and Nya scaled the stone walls and snuck into the monastery, hoping to evade the monk and avoid a repeat of the last visit. Zane landed on his feet through a window, “I have a feeling there’s something here that someone doesn’t want us to see.”

Nya joined him, landing a bit less gracefully on the dusty floor. “What gave you that impression? Was it that guy yelling at us to _get out_ and _never return?”_

Zane frowned, “But he wasn’t _like that_ before. His demeanor was kind, a lover of knowledge who _relished_ intellectual exchange. I have to know what changed his mind.” He looked at her with a fire in his eyes, “Combing the city turned up nothing. Cole's location must be a secret, and if we're to find out what it is, the information _has_ to be in here.”

She braced herself, overwhelmed by Zane’s determination, even after all these years. When he was on a track, he became colder, more calculated. Nothing could stand in his way, for better or for worse. Keep up or get left behind.

She watched his back as he walked briskly forward, scanning the shelves for anything he might have missed last time. He’d been over the scanned information a thousand times, but could parse nothing sinister or illicit from them. Everything was perfectly ordinary. What was the missing link?

The books and scrolls stacked to the ceiling. Zane found the rolling ladder he used before and climbed to the top. He flipped through the labels, looking for anything unfamiliar.

Nya ambled about, unsure what to look for. She was startled when she heard rattling, but it was just Zane rolling the ladder along the shelves. She opened desk drawers, looked around corners. Didn’t seem like _anyone_ had been here for a while, much less a few days ago.

Nothing turned up but dust bunnies, so she left Zane to the library and wandered into the hall. The open air of the monastery walkways lent a certain tranquility to an otherwise stressful mission. She breathed in the fresh air, ran her hands along the stone pillars, and felt the breeze kiss her face.

The garden was a large grassy knoll covered in blooming rosebushes. At the top of the mound was a stone well. She wouldn’t have paid it any mind, but Jay had mentioned that the only source of water for citizens was through the palace. She tried to take a closer look. The walls of the well were too high to peek over, not to mention dry and chalky.

 _If there ever was any water here,_ she thought, _it’s long gone._

* * *

A large hand reached out of the blacksmithing tent and grabbed Cole by his collar, pulling him inside for a second time.

“Hey - what?!”

Cole stumbled in to find Korgran glowering at him. He was covered in sweat and grease, and the tent stank of molten metals. Hot air blasted Cole’s skin. It dusted everything with a fine ash.

Korgran narrowed his eyes, keeping his grip tight. “Is time for weapon choosing.”

Cole gulped, _“’Weapon choosing?’”_

An apprentice unfurled a large tarp onto the table beside them. Laid out were a plethora of weapons, each forged with that same copper metal that ran through the cavern walls. Axes, swords, nunchaku, bows, arrows, pole-arms, knives, maces, and even a scythe. Cole’s hand went directly to the scythe without a second thought. He picked it up, lighter than he expected, and examined the handiwork. It gleamed in the firelight.

“Wow… Korgran, did you forge this for me?” Cole asked in awe. His fingers traced the geometric patterns on the handle. They came to a head at the hilt, where a copper rose was sculpted. The blade itself was 3-dimensional and diamond shaped. Curved into a crescent. Sharp.

Korgran huffed and ordered, **“Choosing.”**

“Well, this one,” Cole raised the scythe high into the air and spun it, “Obviously.”

The assistant rolled everything back up in the tarp and hauled the rest of the weapons away as Korgran rolled his shoulder.

Cole continued to marvel at the scythe. “Reminds me of my golden weapon,” he remarked.

“Karloff,” Korgran gruffed, still rolling his shoulder to work out the knots. “He is telling me you fight with gold scythe. Is not _gold,”_ he gestured to the weapon Cole held, “But is best I can do.”

The craftsmanship on the blade showed it was made with care. It reflected the light of the cavern, and Cole felt a tingling sensation run from his grip, up through his arm, into his torso, until it burst into every appendage, every nerve ending, every inch of him. The scythe clattered to the floor in front of him. His veins flashed orange, but for an instant, and his scar _burned_. He collapsed onto his knees in shock. Immediately Korgran lent a helping hand, but Cole managed to stand on his own two feet, and stretched his arms up to the sky, rising up to tiptoe until the sensation settled. A surge of warmth flooded his body.

“This feeling…” he muttered, trying to catch his breath, turning his hands to inspect them in the wake, “I feel… I feel _powerful…”_

Everyone but Korgran took a step back when Cole picked his weapon up again. His veins flashed again, yet now he was numb to the sensation. Like a constant hum.

Then came Korgran’s voice, surprisingly soft. “This is power only _you_ have. This metals is coming from mountain stone. This is power what like your mother has.”

Cole’s eyes gleamed. The warmth left him as quickly as it came. He’d almost forgotten the legacy he needed to live up to. _Almost._

* * *

“You weren’t wearing the rouge We prepared you.”

King Vangelis, his voice as slick as an eel, glared across the dinner table to his daughter, who returned the favor. She picked at the food on her plate, a lavish feast laid out before her, with enough to feed hundreds. He sipped his wine without breaking eye contact.

“During the dress rehearsal. Is the _shade_ not to your liking?” He asked.

She dropped her fork onto the table and answered, coldly, “The shade is beautiful, father. I… simply did not find it necessary.” 

He set down his glass. Before it touched the table, a servant was at his side with the bottle, pouring. “You would be wise to follow the traditions of your forebears.” He leaned forward, “Without tradition, We are but stumbling ants, directionless and helpless.”

He raised his glass in her direction.

“A directionless ant cannot be **Queen,”** he articulated.

She grit her teeth. “I understand father. I will wear it for the performance.”

The corner of his mouth turned up into a smile. He sat back, seemingly pleased with himself, while she hunkered over, more tense than ever, absentmindedly clutching the pendant around her neck.

* * *

_**The spider's in the house…** _

_“Lloyd…”_

_“…Lloyd…”_

_He blinked when Harumi called out to him._

_“Lloyd?”_

_She stood on the roof of a building as it collapsed beneath her. He sprinted to catch her with all his might, but his legs were lead, and she stood further and further away. Her face contorted in despair as she realized her fate._

_“LLOYD!!”_

**_Sleep, sleep…_ **

_He leapt forward, but it was too late. She disappeared into the rubble before him. He kneeled at ground zero and pulled away the stones. Blood stained his hands red._

_“Looking for something?”_

_He whipped around to see Harumi alive, standing behind him and casting a large shadow. She looked different; Silk robes, heavy make-up, tight ponytail. Restricted, tight, controlled._

_“Oh Lloyd… Did you honestly fall for that old trick? You’re such a fool.”_

**_The spider bit the mouse…_ **

_“Harumi…” He fought back tears, unable to bear anger towards her. “I-I thought - I saw you fall, I thought you were - ”_

_He couldn’t finish his sentence before grabbing her in anguish._

_“I thought I’d lost you!”_

_She peeled him off and shrieked, “Get off me!”_

**_Sleep deep…_ **

_He was dumbfounded. Didn’t she want him to save her?_

_The setting suddenly morphed into Shintaro’s throne room. Harumi settled herself on King Vangelis’ throne, stepping over his poorly decayed skeleton and taking his crown to place on her own head. Her hair became auburn, eyes violet, skin white as the moon, but her voice remained the same._

**_Don't -_ **

_“Hobbes,” she commanded, summoning Hjalmar, “Bring in the prisoner.”_

**_Wake -_ **

_Lloyd was glued to where he stood. He tried to yell, to warn his friend, but no sound came out, and no one seemed to know he was there. He could only watch, helpless, as Cole was brought to the throne room in shackles._

**_Up -_ **

_Cole was pushed to his knees in front of the throne, his head low, his ebony face covered by his ragged black waves._

_“Did you really believe someone loved you?” The princess examined her nails, “What a fool.” Cole’s head hung in shame._

**_Or else -_ **

_“That’s not fair!” Lloyd tried to scream, again, in vain. The room became distorted. Cole slowly sank deep into the earth, while the throne stretched upward, carrying the cackling Harumi with it. Spiders, by the millions, stormed out of the throne and swarmed Lloyd, swallowing him whole -_

His eyes flew open and lit his room up with a green shimmer. Once he got his bearings, he was able to sit up and reaffirm himself in the real world. No buildings collapsing. No blood on his hands. No spiders.

The dream, the juxtaposition of a stark white judge and a pitch black martyr, only cemented Lloyd’s conviction. The green light faded as he got his emotions under control again. It took longer than usual.

* * *

“…Does Nya wear red rouge?”

Vanja’s question came abruptly, after minutes of silence. They laid head-to-head in the grass, counting stars on another perfectly beautiful night. 

Cole frowned and tilted his head further back. “Why do you ask?”

“W-well,” she stammered out, “I was just curious.”

“You wanna borrow some from her?”

She sighed, “I cannot risk being poisoned again.” She fidgeted with her pendant, “But I must adhere to,” she scowled and raised her hands to make air quotes, _“Tradition.”_

He rolled onto his stomach and propped himself up on his elbows to look down at her face, upside-down. His shaggy hair brushed her eyelashes, causing her to blink the strands away. Their foreheads almost touched.

She blushed and averted her eyes. “If I am regarded as an illegitimate heir to the throne, it will erase all the hard work the Lost Children have done to bring change to our kingdom.”

“So you need… red rouge?” He asked in a whisper, his breath tickling her hairline. She prayed her heartbeat wasn’t as audible to him as it was to her.

“Yes, _red,”_ she confirmed. “Do you… Would you happen to know if Nya has any I could borrow?”

He hummed in thought. “Our best bet is to check The Bounty.”

She gave him a worried look.

“I’m sure she won’t mind! Besides,” he grinned cheekily, “I promised you a tour, didn’t I?”

She gulped as his face hovered over hers, eyes locked. Her ears burned white-hot and she had to force herself to breathe. She would’ve buried herself in the cool earth if she could’ve.

* * *

Vanja lowered her hood and looked around the room in awe. The ceiling was so low, she could reach up and touch it; She dragged her fingers across it as she walked through.

He began the tour with the galley towards the stern. She sat in one of the dining chairs, made of rough wood and creaky, and marveled at the knots in the planks.

“Oh, uh, watch out for splinters.”

His warning came too late. She let out a small _“ow”_ as she delicately ran her fingers up and down the back of one of the chairs. She plucked out the small piece of wood, examining it closely. 

He watched her investigate the cheap metal on the galley sink, touching and tapping the hanging pots one by one. The sound of the cabinet hinges squeaking from overuse. The smell of the spices in the cabinet.

She turned to him from across the table, “I wonder what it must be like with everyone here, gathered for a meal.” She drifted to the refrigerator, and opened it to see it littered with takeout containers and half-empty bottles. “It must be chaotic,” she poked her head in the freezer, containing only a half-tub of peppermint ice cream.

He showed her the control panels and helm, where Nya steered the ship and the rest ran reconnaissance. She spun the helm, and carefully touched the control panels, imagining she was with them on one of their adventures.

Wu’s room was noticeably minimalist, filled only with a cot and some incense for his daily rituals. She loved the feeling of the tatami mats, the lingering smell of ash and smoke. It was a peaceful place.

Across the hall, all six students shared a single room, crammed into bunk cots in the walls. The floor was relatively clear, save for some laundry piles. But for the walls, she dropped her jaw.

Crowding them were _hundreds_ of mementos, photographs, newspaper clippings, and other miscellaneous bulletins. She had never seen such a display; All photographs in the palace were neatly tucked away and labeled in dense archival books. She took the time to study each item one by one, while Cole began rummaging through drawers to search for make-up.

On the wall near Jay’s bed was a sprawl of poorly taken photographs of his parents’ junkyard. Next to his family photo was a newspaper clipping of a famous actor’s obituary. She found it an odd juxtaposition.

Kai’s wall was right above, surprisingly bare, save for a few menus for a place called…

“Chen’s Noodles?” She asked aloud.

“It’s a noodle shop in Ninjago City.”

She turned to Cole, “Will you take me there?”

He burned bright red, “S-sure! Whenever you visit, we can go there.”

She continued to stroll around, taking slow and deliberate steps, examining every pinned item. She pointed to a set of photo-booth strips near Nya’s bunk and her face lit up.

“Who are all these girls?”

Cole peered over her shoulder to check. “Ah, those are some of our friends.” He put his finger on each one as he named them, “This is _PIXAL,_ our operations specialist. And this is _Skylor._ She runs Chen’s Noodles. And this one,” he stopped on a girl who looked like she could be his sister, with a blue streak in her curly black hair, “Is _Seliel._ She’s my cousin.”

“Wow…” Vanja studied the faces in each photo intensely. “I hope I can meet them all someday.”

The rest of Nya’s wall was covered in schematics and blueprints that Vanja could not decipher. She moved up, standing on tip-toe, to view Lloyd’s bunk. Near the pillow was a photograph of himself with his father, the only thing pinned on his wall. She stepped up on the ladder to get a closer look when she accidentally nudged his pillow. A small white corner stuck out, and against her better judgment, she pulled it out to take a closer look.

In her hands, she held a second photograph, though it was more pristine, probably more recent, than the other. She recognized Harumi immediately. The princess was leaning forward over a bridge rail, smiling shyly, with the wind blowing in her face. She looked different than Vanja remembered; More mature, natural, with a messy ponytail and a green hoodie. Not stiff in constricting dresses and heavy make-up. She looked _happier._

For reasons she couldn’t quite grasp, it made her heart sink.

“Find anything interesting?” Cole questioned.

Vanja hastily stuck the photograph back under Lloyd’s pillow, “N-no, nothing.”

Cole helped her down, and she sauntered over to the last bunk bed, her curiosity piqued higher than ever. On the top, she noticed that in each of Zane’s photographs, he was stiffly standing side-by-side with someone. One with the girl Cole called “PIXAL”, one with an old man, and one with what seemed to be his twin, only made of wood. He also kept a carefully scheduled calendar, marked in neat ink.

She climbed down in front of the last bed, Cole’s. He stood behind her and pointed out each memento.

“This one’s me and my mom, when I was pretty small…” He explained, and she studied his mother’s face. Calm and caring, _just_ as Hamza described to her.

She heard him give a small laugh, “Oh, man, this is from dance school.” He jokingly tried to cover up a class photograph. She peeked under his fingers and saw a bright, beaming boy, with messy, black hair.

“You look so _happy!”_

“Yeah, well,” he was unexpectedly somber, “Maybe I should’ve gone to _acting_ school instead.”

She didn’t quite understand what that meant.

Closest to the bed was pinned a polaroid of Cole and Kai, leaning against a concrete barrier. He held Kai from behind a bit, and they were gazing into each other’s eyes, content with cigarettes in their hands and long jackets over their shoulders. The trees behind them were red and gold, suggesting it was taken in autumn.

“Oh, that one,” he noticed where her attention went, and cleared his throat, “That was taken a couple years ago.”

She didn’t seem upset, rather entranced by their expressions.

“Did you love him?” She asked bluntly.

He didn’t know how to answer. It was a form of love, yes, but there are many kinds. It wasn’t a long-lasting, passionate, be-with-you-forever kind of love. He wondered where the differences lie. He wondered if she could help him understand.

He snapped his fingers, “Oh right! I found some make-up you can use.” He lifted a large metal box onto the writing desk beside them and unlatched it. “It’s Jay’s old stage make-up, I hope you don’t mind. He’s got like _every color_ in here.” Cole rummaged through it with little care for organization. Eventually, he pulled out a small silver tube, placing it gently in her hands. “This one’s called _‘Pop of Cherry’_ , so I hope it’s red enough for you.”

She stared at him blankly, holding the tube in her palm. He tilted his head before realizing.

“Right, I guess you’ve only used pomades.”

He gently took the tube from her and showed her how to uncap and twist it. He placed it back in her fingers, but she still seemed confused.

“Where is the brush?” She asked.

He smiled, “That’s the best part. You don’t _need_ one! Here, I’ll show you.” He took the tube from her again and sat her down on the edge of his bed, kneeling in front of her. He then grabbed a compact mirror from the box so she could watch the application.

His hand rested against her cheek, causing her face to heat up. Delicately, he swiped the lipstick across her bottom lip, and she watched in the mirror as the color appeared to match her blush. A _deep_ red, one that soaked up her natural lip color rather than cover it.

“You have done this before,” she noted, hardly moving her lips as she spoke.

He chuckled nervously, “I used to help my classmates before shows. I’ve had a lot of practice.” He stopped and lingered for a moment, staring at her lips. “Uh, why don’t _you_ try now?”

She took the lipstick from him and pulled the compact closer, concentrating on her upper lip. At first she brushed the tip along, but it wasn’t leaving enough color. She tried to go a little firmer along the edges, when her hand slipped, and she smeared it past her lip line by mistake, "Ah - "

Before he knew it, he had reached out his thumb to tenderly clear it away for her.

Her breathing hitched. “I guess, I should practice more,” she managed to whisper.

He moved closer, his eyes focused on her pert lips, his thumb still caressing her cheek.

“You’ll get used to it,” he breathed.

Their lips met, and, unhindered by the chalkiness of the old make-up, tried to swallow each other whole. She pulled him into her, up from his knees until he was leaning over the edge of the bed, enveloping her. Her hips bucked against him, his hands explored her waist.

Soon they forgot all about the arranged marriage and the dangerous game of chess they were trapped in. Heat swelled within them both, and his exploration shifted. A _moan_ escaped her mouth. She arched her back in response. Passion took over.

She was the stars, and he was the night sky. They melted into each other in the moonlight, knowing the spell had to break upon morning. Still they danced the night away.


End file.
